First Aid/CPR/AED

You should call 911 immediately if you recognize a life-threatening injury or illness, or the situation requires a specialized response, such as police, fire, hazardous materials, or power company assistance. Life-threatening conditions include:

• A problem that threatens the victim's airway;
• A problem that threatens the victim's breathing;
• A problem that threatens the victim's circulation of blood, such as severe bleeding or shock;
• The victim is unconscious or unresponsive;
• The condition could become life-threatening; and
• Moving could make the condition worse. 

In many situations, emergency services may not be called but the victim stills needs to see a healthcare provider. Encourage family and friends to ensure the victim follows through with seeing a doctor. When in doubt, call 911.

• Any phone: Dial 911 or use the blue emergency phones located around campus, if necessary. 
• Provide the following information to the dispatcher:
  

• Your name and the phone number you are calling from;
  • The location of the victim (full physical address, ex. Virginia Tech Campus, 575 Beamer Way, Blacksburg, VA);
  • The number of injured;
  • What happened, if known (brief descripion, ex. fall approximately 10 feet);
  • The victim's condition (ex. awake and able to speak, unconscious/unresponsive, bleeding, etc.);
  • The victim's approximate age and gender; and
  • What is being done for the patient (CPR is in progress, controlling bleeding, stabilizing, etc.).

Be sure to check the area for bystanders who may be willing to assist you. Bystanders can help by:

• Calling 911;
• Meeting response agencies and leading them to the victim(s);
• Helping other victims with minor injuries;
• Helping to calm the victim down; and
• Getting the nearest first aid kit.

In general, you should not hesitate to help a victim because you are afraid of being sued. In Virginia, there are Good Samaritan laws designed to protect volunteers who attempt to help another person. In addition, the following guidelines will provide even more protection for you:

• Act only as you are trained to act.
• Get the victim's consent before giving first aid.
• Do not move the victim unnecessarily.
• Call for professional help (911).
• Keep giving care until someone of equal or higher training takes over.

There is some risk of getting an infectious disease when providing first aid - especially where contact is made with an infected person's blood. Bacteria or viruses contracted through a person's blood are called bloodborne pathogens. Bloodborne pathogens may also be present in other bodily fluids, such as bloody saliva, vomit, semen, or vaginal secretions.

Diseases associated with providing first aid include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV). During training, you will learn about "universal precautions" that should be taken and appropriate personal protective equipment that should be worn, in order to minimize exposure.

Although rare, there are a few airborne diseases to be aware of, such as tuberculosis (TB) or severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Special precautions are generally not required for first aid responders.

After you have surveyed the scene for safety and put on your gloves, you should assess the victim. During first aid training, you will learn the proper techniques for each of the steps. This assessment is prioritized to find life-threatening problems first and should always be performed in this order. If a problem is found during the step, you should provide the appropriate care before moving on to the next step. 

• Check the ABCs: Airway, breathing, and circulation.
• Get  information about the victim which may identify a medical condition that is not evident (i.e. the victim's history) or clues regarding what might be wrong.
• Check the rest of the victim's body by performing a physical examination.
• Monitor the victim for changes while waiting for emergency services to arrive. 

Information on how to provide care for someone needing assistance will be provided in the first aid/CPR/AED training. 

Is training mandatory? If so, when? Training is mandatory for persons who work in remote locations, on energized electrical systems, with confined spaces, on telecommunications cabling, or if it is written into their job description. Where training is not mandatory, employees may attend (when spaces are available) at the current established price.

Class length: 4 hours.

Available online: No.

When is refresher training required? Every 2 years.

Please see the online class schedule for more information.

AED's (Automatic External Defibrillators) are available in many public spaces on campus. If your department wishes to have an AED but does not fall within the criteria, then one may be purchased by the department. Virginia Tech Rescue Squad administers the university's Public Access AED Program. 

The cost of the AED, as well as proper installation costs, will be the responsibility of the department purchasing the equipment. Installation may be required to have a permit from the University Building Official's Office. It is important that you coordinate the brand of AED with the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad (540-231-7138 or vtrescue@vt.edu) to maintain uniformity and efficiency during emergency response.

AEDs must be properly maintained and inspected regularly to ensure that they are ready to use at any given time. Replacing batteries, updating programming as protocols change, and replacing expired pads are common maintenance activities.

Personnel should be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation in order for the AED to be used effectively. CPR training (where there is no specific job requirement for it) can be scheduled through Environmental Health & Safety for a reasonable per-person fee.

AEDs are provided in many public spaces on campus already. If your department is interested in purchasing an AED, there are a couple of considerations:

• AEDs typically cost between $2,000-$3,000. This will come out of the department's budget.
• Zoll and Phillips AED are the two brands currently on campus. It is recommended that you purchase one of these brands.
• AEDs are most effective when used in conjunction with CPR. CPR training is available through Environmental Health & Safety for a reasonable fee.
• AEDs must be inspected monthly to ensure they are in good operating condition, such as batteries charged, pads not expired, no damage, etc.
• Pads do have expiration dates on them and they will need to be switched out once expired.

OSHA requires that fatalities, in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, or loss of an eye be reported within certain time frames (8 hours for fatalities and 24 hours for hospitalizations, amputations, or loss of an eye). Environmental Health & Safety coordinates OSHA reporting for the university. Contact Robin Miller at 540-231-2341 or rmmiller@vt.edu for assistance as soon as the incident occurs sot that proper procedures and notifications can be coordinated.

The Employer's Accident Report (EAR) is completed for worker's compensation benefits and is maintained by Human Resources. 

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