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- Title
The Experience of Lay First Responders in the Northern Ireland Public Access Defibrillation (NIPAD) Project.
- Authors
Hamilton, A. J.; Jordan, J. E.; Moore, M. J.; Cairns, K.; Adgey, A. A. J.; Kee, F.
- Abstract
Objective: The Northern Ireland Public Access Defibrillation (NIPAD) project was established to train lay volunteers as First Responders (FRs) in the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) at an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We wished to establish the background and experience of the FRs. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to FRs with a prepaid reply envelope and a follow up reminder letter was sent to non-respondents after six weeks. Results: There were 178 questionnaires returned of whom 71/178 (39.9%) were male. The mean age of the FRs was 45.9 yrs (SD 10.7). The education level of the FRs was assessed: 49/178 (27.5%) had received no school education after age 16 and 60/178 (33.7%) were educated at university. Basic medical skills prior to enrolling in the NIPAD project were assessed. 30/178 (16.9%) had no previous first aid training, 45/178 (25.3%) had participated in a basic first aid course, 81/178 (45.5%) had training in basic life support and 17/178 (9.6%) had training in advanced life support. Following training 163/178 (91.6%) felt "totally confident" or "reasonably confident" in using an AED at the scene of an OHCA. No volunteer considered the AED difficult to use. In total 34/178 (19.1%) of FRs were willing to hold an AED permanently. No FR required the use of the confidential counselling service employed by the project. Conclusion: First Responders can be recruited from a variety of backgrounds. The First Responders reported the AED to be easy to use following training.
- Subjects
DEFIBRILLATORS; FIRST aid training; CARDIAC arrest; THERAPEUTICS; HEALTH promotion; COUNSELING; LIFE support systems in critical care
- Publication
Ulster Medical Journal, 2008, Vol 77, Issue 2, p138
- ISSN
0041-6193
- Publication type
Article