The importance of defibrillators in schools

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death among school-aged children, with most deaths occurring during physical activity. The government has taken action to make it mandatory for all state schools to provide access to defibrillators with the aim of supplying them to all state-funded schools in England by the summer of 2023. Thousands of children are set to benefit from this move which will potentially save the lives not only of pupils, but staff and visitors as well. Having a defibrillator readily accessible massively increases someone’s chance of survival if they go into cardiac arrest.

What is a defibrillator?

A defibrillator is a life-saving device which gives an electric shock to the heart when someone goes into cardiac arrest. The shock is called defibrillation. Defibrillators are often referred to as an AED, which stands for Automated External Defibrillator, or a PAD, which stands for Public Access Defibrillator. PADs can be found in public spaces, such as airports, train stations and shopping centres – they are named this because anyone can use them.

How does a defibrillator work?

A defibrillator closely monitors heart rate and identifies if the heart needs an electric shock. A cardiac arrest happens when the electrical rhythm in the heart stops it beating in a normal rhythm, causing an irregular beat. The defibrillator helps the heart to restart the beat and shock the heart back into a normal rhythm, which is the only way to save someone if they go into cardiac arrest.

Our Mediana A15 AED incorporates time-saving features optimised to deliver life-saving shocks as quickly as possible in an emergency. On average, 30,000 people per year suffer a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Because on average it takes eight minutes for an ambulance in the UK to arrive, unfortunately, the victim’s likelihood of survival is less than 10%. With the use of an AED within three minutes of a cardiac arrest event, the survival rate dramatically increases to 74%.

How to use a defibrillator

If you’re in an emergency situation where you require the use of a defibrillator, firstly call 999, who will be able to talk you through the process quickly. CPR will be needed, whilst a helper searches for a nearby defibrillator.

Switch the defibrillator on and take the pads out. These will be attached to the patient’s skin, on each side of their chest. The defibrillator provides voice instructions and will also check the patient’s heart rhythm once the pads are attached. If the defibrillator decides a shock is needed, it will prompt you to press the shock button, at which point an electric shock will be administered.

Using a defibrillator doesn’t require training, and anyone can use one. The voice prompts from the defibrillator make the instructions clear and easy to use. It will tell you if more shocks are needed, or if CPR is needed.

Where can defibrillators be found?

Currently, not all schools have a defibrillator put in place, but this stands to change by summer 2023. Defibrillators are usually found in public spaces, such as train stations, airports, shopping centres, town halls and more. If you’re in an emergency and require the use of a defibrillator, 999 may be able to tell you where the closest one is located. Ambulances are also equipped with defibrillators.

How will defibrillators benefit schools?

The commitment by the government to ensure all schools in the country have defibrillators by 2023 comes off the back of a campaign by the parents of schoolboy Oliver King, who sadly died during a swimming lesson in 2011, when his heart stopped. The campaign emphasises the importance of having a defibrillator readily available in public spaces, including schools, with a high population density.

Our Mediana A15 is a semi-automatic unit, suitable for use on both adults and children. Adult or paediatric mode is instantly activated by an easy-to-find switch on the main interface. The pads are two-in-one and can be used for both adults and children - when you switch from adult mode to paediatric you do not need to change the pads. The pads also have icons to show the placement on an adult and a child, making the device particularly suitable for use in educational settings. The unit comes with the pads attached and ready to use, and automatically switches on when the lid is opened to save precious moments.

Explore our range of defibrillators ideal for school use here, or explore our helpful guide here.