Update on 2 tragic deaths at WDW this summer...

[The Mom]

Well, defibrillators are only good for a certain type of cardiac arrest...ventricular fibrilation, or V Fib for short.(it is not used for every cardiac arrest, like you see on TV). They can also be used to cardiovert a person in SVT...although that is rare.

Which is why someone needs to TRAINED to use one. I should have noted without a monitor (or someone well trained with a stethescope) that they aren't the solution to every cardiac arrest. (But were still used frequently, regardless of the cause of the arrest. I haven't been involved in a code in over 20 years, so they might not be used as much as previously)

However, I stand by my statement that taking a CPR course is very different than actually having to perform CPR!

The CM response time seems to be the major criticism at this point.

 

[Timmay]

However, I stand by my statement that taking a CPR course is very different than actually having to perform CPR!

The CM response time seems to be the major criticism at this point.

Which seems to me to be a shame...we are talking about kids, mostly. I don't see how anyone could even begin to blame them, more so since this isn't something they deal with every day. Now if you were talking about a couple of paramedics that had seen incidents like this every day for the past couple of years, that may be a different story.

BTW, I wasn't going against what you said about the defib...

We may have shocked asystole in the field if we just weren't getting any other kind of response (hoping we were in fact seeing a fine V fib and not asystole)

Of course, now there are the AED's, which most of don't even have monitors on them...they just interpret the rhythm on their own and tell you to press the button if a shock is needed.

 

[The Mom]

I've also seen them used for asystole; at that point, you try everything you've got.

I'm also glad that you agree with my major point. These are CMs, not doctors, nurses, paramedics, or anyone else who deals with routine medical emergencies. Sometimes people die despite everyone's best efforts, and no one is to blame.

 

[wdwishes2005]

Exactly, and didn't someone say that in this case, CPR or a quicker response would not have helped?

 

[TheDScoop]

FYI:
The actual autopsy has been posted over at www.themelaw.com. Click on The Amusement Law Update then scroll down to the Nov. 15th Update.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Exactly, and didn't someone say that in this case, CPR or a quicker response would not have helped?

I have no idea how RCES could have gotten there faster. They did a tremendous job.