DOWNLOAD NATIONAL DEFIBRILLATOR STANDARDS DOCUMENT

BACKGROUND

In March 2006 the Report of the Task Force on Sudden Cardiac Death, “Reducing the Risk: A Strategic
Approach”, was published by the Department of Health and Childreni. The Report examines the causes of sudden cardiac death in Ireland and devises a strategy to reduce the number of events. Its
recommendations cover a wide range of prevention, treatment and organisational issues. In particular,
the Task Force Report emphasises the importance of early access to defibrillation, together with
appropriately trained and supported carers.

In Ireland,The Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) has a statutory responsibility for standards and training in prehospital emergency care. PHECC has identified the need for
information and guidelines to be available to anyone considering the purchase of an Advisory External Defibrillator (AED) for use in the community. PHECC therefore invited the Centre for Immediate Care Services, UCD, to develop standards for potential purchasers of anAED. A working group
was established with extensive clinical, technical and procedural expertise to develop these Standards. The Standards comprise one part of a broader strategy being developed by the Health Service Executive to implement the recommendations of the Task Force and are not therefore
intended to address issues other than how to select the right AED for your needs. Please let us know how useful these Standards are and how they may be improved.

I am extremely grateful to the members of theWorking Group and consultation groups for their expert
contributions to this document and to Ms Mairéad Egan for her work in chairing the process and writing
the Standards. In particular, I wish to also acknowledge the contribution of Ms Mary O’Brien, Community Resuscitation Training Officer, North Tipperary/East Limerick and Mr Richard Shannon, Advanced Paramedic, Eastern Regional Ambulance Service.

I hope we will be able to draw on their expertise in the further development of this document. The
process of developing Standards such as these is never complete and I hope that with experience of
their use, further editions of this document will maintain their relevance and usefulness