The University of Chicago
Safety Manual
 

The following plan has been developed to establish appropriate procedures for the placement and use of Automated External Defibrillators (AED).  An Automated External Defibrillator is a medical device that is used to recognize the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation (when electrical activity becomes disordered) and rapid ventricular tachycardia (extremely rapid heart beat), and is able to determine, without intervention by an operator, whether defibrillation (an electrical shock to the heart) should be performed.

Authority and Responsibility

Departments shall be responsible for:

1. Purchasing, installing and maintaining AED’s;
2. Coordinating training for employees;
3. Coordinating with local resource hospital;
4. Maintianing records of maintenance and testing; and
5. Developing a site specific medical emergency plan.

Special Event Sponsors shall be responsible for:

      1.  Arranging for a trained AED user to be onsite during the special event.   

Safety and Environmental Affairs shall be responsible for:

1. Purchasing signage for AED’s;
2. Initially reviewing department or building manager’s Medical Emergency Plans;
3. Verifying Medical Emergency Plans have been updated annually during building inspections;
4. Verifying departments or building manager’s are maintaining records of maintenance and testing during building inspections; and
5. Reviewing the AED plan annually.

AED Locations

Physical fitness facilities operated by the University, supervised by one or more persons, and serve 100 or more individuals are required under Physical Fitness Facility Medical Emergency Preparedness Code from the Illinois Department of Public Health Title 77, Chapter I, Subchapter f, Part 527 to install AEDs.  All other building managers or departments on campus have the option to install AEDs and once an AED is installed, the building occupants shall follow the AED policy.  AEDs shall be located in public spaces but should be in a cabinet that is secure.  Only trained AED users shall access the AED.  If you need assistance with the placement of an AED, contact Safety and Environmental Affairs at 702-9999.

Purchase and Installation of AEDs

The department or building manager is responsible for purchasing AEDs.  In order to purchase an AED, a prescription is needed from the physician providing oversight.  Contact the University of Chicago Hospitals Emergency Resuscitation Center for the Illinois State contract and the name of the physician providing oversight.  The Emergency Resuscitation Center can also provide assistance finding a manufacturer or supplier of AEDs.  A projecting sign shall be installed marking the location of the AED.  Once the AED is purchased, contact Facilities Services at 834-1414 for installation of and signage for the AED.  The signage will be provided by Safety and Environmental Affairs.

Resource Hospital – Registration and Reporting

The resource hospital for the University is the University of Chicago Hospitals (UCH).  When an AED is purchased, it shall be registered with the University of Chicago Emergency Resuscitation Center (ERC).  The registration process requires providing the UCH ERC with a list of registered users and copies of their training certificates, the manufacturer’s guidelines for training and maintenance, and documentation confirming the manufacturer’s guidelines were met. 

When an AED is used, the user shall report to the resource hospital the following information:

• Date and time of incident;
• Name of the care provider;
• Time the University of Chicago Police were called;
• Initial heart rhythm;
• Number of times patient was defibrillated;
• Name of AED user;
• Final heart rhythm when emergency services arrived; and
• Whether the patient has a pulse and if they are breathing when emergency services arrived. 

Medical Emergency Plan

A site specific medical emergency plan shall be created by any department or building manager who purchases an AED.  The plan shall include, at a minimum:

• Facility contacts including trained AED users;
• Response plan for a medical emergency;
• Use of an AED;
• AED training requirements;
• Name of training class, training provider and location of training class;
• Copy of manufacturer’s guidelines on training and maintenance;
• Name of the resource hospital and contact information for the program coordinator; and
• A statement indicating the AED has been registered with the resource hospital (including the provision of the training certificates for each user and manufacturer’s guidelines for training and maintenance).

The plan shall be updated when the facility is closed for more than 45 days, the AED is inoperable for more than 45 days, or if there is a shortage of trained AED users for more than 45 days.  All Physical Fitness Facilities shall submit the plan and any updates to the Illinois Department of Public Health.  All buildings and/or departments shall submit the site specific Medical Emergency Plan to Safety and Environmental Affairs initially for review and shall be responsible for annual updates to the plan thereafter.  Safety and Environmental Affairs shall verify updates are made annually during the building inspection. 

NOTE:  Appendix A - "Medical Emergency Plan" template shall be used for the creation of site specific information for your facility. 

Training

Training shall be provided to each AED user and meet the requirements of Illinois Department of Public Health codes under Title 77, Chapter I, Subchapter f, Part 525 & 527.  Every staff member at a physical fitness facility, including those not trained in AED use, shall be trained on the location of the AED at the specific site and site specific medical emergency response.  The training shall be provided to employees at least every two years.  At all buildings or in all departments with an AED, a minimum of one trained user shall be on site at all times during normal operating hours. 

During special events in all buildings where an AED is required, a minimum of one trained user shall be onsite for the duration of the event.  It is the responsibility of the special event sponsor to arrange for the trained AED user to be onsite.  The special event sponsor can have his or her own personnel trained or can arrange with the building manager to have a trained AED user from the building attend the event. 

Training Providers

American Heart Association, 208 South LaSalle Street, Suite 900, Chicago, Illinois 60604-1197, phone: (312) 346-4675.

University of Chicago Hospitals, Department of Medicine, Emergency Resuscitation Center, Chicago Lying-In L539, 702-9500.

Maintenance and Testing

Maintenance and testing of all AED units shall be conducted in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.  Records of maintenance and testing shall be maintained for each AED unit and shall be reviewed annually by Safety and Environmental Affairs during the building inspection.  Each trained user shall be given a copy of the manufacturer’s maintenance and testing requirements.  A copy of the requirements shall also be kept with the AED and in a central location of the facility.

After using an AED, follow the manufacturer’s instructions prior to placing the AED back into service.

Section 3 Index

Table of Contents

Safety and Environmental Affairs
Issued: 02/01/07