Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Question re defibrillator & Warning about EMS

[Eris Weaver (eris]

We have an AED here at FrogSong, and a very active Emergency Preparedness
committee with ongoing training, drills, etc. (You may remember that we had
major fires here back in October, and of course we're in earthquake
country.)

I am an Emergency Medical Responder and a member of the Sheriff's Search &
Rescue Team. The previous commenters are all accurate about the Good
Samaritan laws covering lay people practicing CPR, using the AED, etc. They
cover me when I am off-duty; when I am on-duty I am expected to practice
under the protocols of my agency. (Which in practice means that so far I
haven't treated anything but hypothermia, as there are people on my team
with more advanced training & certification than I have.)

My thoughts about AEDs and Advance Directives and DNRs....

As an individual, if I had a DNR I would want it to be honored. 

As a first responder...unless that DNR document is IN MY HAND, I am
duty-bound to administer aid. And that aid has to happen FAST - in a manner
of minutes. You have a cardiac arrest, I am not going to waste time looking
for that DNR or the piece of paper in the Common House...plus, what if you
CHANGED YOUR ADVANCE DIRECTIVE since the last time that paper was updated? 

The situation is a little different if you are in a care facility, with
terminal illness or dementia, have filed a DNR which the staff should be
aware of - then those staff should not call EMS. If EMS is called, they are
DUTY BOUND TO TREAT. 

(There was an interesting article online recently about someone who actually
had "DNR" TATTOOED ON THEIR CHEST and the ER staff decision to resuscitate.)

_____________________________________________________________
Eris Weaver, Graphic Facilitator & Group Process Consultant
eris [at] erisweaver.info • 707-338-8589 • http://www.erisweaver.info

“On days when you have no ideas at all, the best thing you can do is start
doodling.” Charles M. Schulz



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