Do nurses and physiotherapists require training to use an automated external defibrillator?

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
• Medical Device Usability

Background:

• Healthcare professionals, including nurses and physiotherapists, are expected to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
• The proficiency of untrained staff in operating AEDs during emergencies is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the ability of nurses and physiotherapists to use an AED without prior training.
• To assess the impact of standardized training on AED usage efficiency and safety.

Main Methods:

• Fifteen untrained nurses and physiotherapists performed CPR on a manikin in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario.
• Performance metrics included time to shock delivery, correct pad placement, and adherence to safety protocols.
• Subjects were re-evaluated after a standardized AED training session.

Main Results:

• All untrained subjects could deliver a shock, with an average time of 68.8 seconds.
• Significant errors were observed in pad placement (53%) and safety procedures (67%) among untrained staff.
• Post-training, shock delivery time improved to 48.5 seconds, with all participants demonstrating correct pad placement and safety compliance (P<0.01).

Conclusions:

• Nurses and physiotherapists can operate an AED without prior training, but with notable errors.
• Standardized training enhances the speed, accuracy, and safety of AED use by healthcare professionals.
• This suggests that minimal AED training is effective for healthcare staff, enabling broader deployment in critical care settings.