It’s becoming more common to find Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public and office spaces. Used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, this lifesaving medical device can analyze the heart’s rhythm and deliver an electrical shock – or defibrillation – to help restart the heart’s rhythm.
Mackenzie Health recently had five AEDs installed in key high-traffic areas across the Richmond Hill hospital:
- A-wing entrance (1st floor)
- B-wing entrance near Tim Hortons (2nd floor)
- C-wing entrance (2nd floor)
- D-wing outside of the Berwick Auditorium (1st floor)
- D-wing entrance near Emergency (2nd floor)
With simple audio and visual commands, AEDs are designed to be easy to use in a life-saving situation. Once the device is opened, an audio recording talks the user through each step, providing valuable support. More than 700 nurses at Mackenzie Health have also been trained on how to administer an AED. AEDs help provide early, life-saving intervention in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest.