AIBU to disagree with PTA buying defibrillator for primary school?

[Babylon1]

That's it really.

I'm on the governing body at local primary school and the PTA have decided they are going to purchase a defibrillator for the first aid kit.

This is really down to one member of the PTA having suffered a terrible loss due to congenital heart defect which was undiagnosed in a child. NOT a child at this school I hasten to add.

Now, as a governing body, we have a wish list of what we would ideally like the PTA to help purchase, and at the moment we are prioritising interactive whiteboards, a new reading scheme and some new phonics materials - resources that will be used EVERY day by the pupils.

The PTA are insistent in buying the defibrillator ASAP, and I am equally insistent that we neither want/need it for the following reasons:

1. The likelihood of it EVER being used is hopefully very very slim

1. There is an ambulance station with trained medics less than 5 mins away at normal driving pace. On blues and twos an ambulance would/could be present inside of two mins.

1. There has been no consultation with staff, yet 5 of them would be expected to be happy to be trained to administer the defibrillator if it

was required.

1. There has been no consultation with parents to ascertain if they would be happy for their DCs to be defibrillated at school by a non-professional medic (I certainly wouldn't be)

Before I would be in the slightest happy about this, I want a demo from the company providing the equipment on how easy it is to use, bearing in mind it is a paediatric defibrillator.

I want to know who will make the decision that the defibrillator is required - ie who is going to diagnose the child with a failing heart?

What happens if/when it goes wrong? Will the administrator of the defibrillator be held responsible?

So am I being unreasonable?? Really appreciate your thoughts here as I need to feed back to governors at next meeting.

Stealth - have you seen the current thread about schools NOT being involved in healthy eating? Damned if we do and damned if we don't it seems.

Stealth. I am confused to what your argument here is.

YABU I would prefer if my DC school had one. Anything that could save a child is worth it. They will be well trained, I am sure.

Many of them have a talking commentry/instruction/computer programme telling you what to do/carry on with CPR/shock etc so can be used easily by those trained.

Basically I don't know what to think but I believe the op is nbu to find out more and to expect that if the aim is to save cbildrens lives, that the money will be spent in the most effective way to make that happen.
But it irritates me when peeople make statements like "they save lives you know" when yes, but so, presumably would a fully trained and equipped paramedic on standby in the staffroom. Or people claim that the cost of saving a life can never be too high, but then scorn me or suggesting that then they need 2 or more defibrillators. People are completely illogical, yet refuse to see it. There are also a lot of people saying that they're foolproof, which the bhf agrees with, and others coming on and stating as fact that they can be dangerous. Why can people never admit that actually they don't know everything? Why do they have to state something they vaguely think they know as fact then defend it to their dying breath (not particularly talking about this thread now, see this all the time.)

Really jellybeans, truly anything?

Don't know what you mean by that? If it helps save a child then it is worth getting whatever it is. They (the school) wouldn't consider getting anything dangerous surely? Presumably any risks (which I believe are very small but nothing is totally risk free) are outweighed by the benefits in a desperate situation, they save lives. Then yes it is worth it.

YABU. I am fighting for the PTA at DD's school to provide a defibrillator - DD has cardiac issues, and it could save her life, even if we ARE only 4-5 mins from the hospital on blues and two's.

Do you know for certain that not one pupil or staff member has cardiac issues? And even if it's not known, it could save someone's life who has undiagnosed cardiac problems.

So you'd contribute to the cost of a fully trained and equipped paramedic on standby in the staff room?

Cardy I really hope that happens. Completely agree where there is a known elevated risk then one should be on hand - though someone further down the thread said in that case they'd have one inside their body?
So much misinformation and guessing going on in this thread!

Jelly, I was respondingto

Anything that could save a child is worth it

Have I killed this thread

killed the thread? quick start CPR and grab a defib!

I did consider that Vicar but thought I'd be told off for poor taste humour :o

#StayinAlive

Right, well I completely agree with you there then Stealth! I don't understand how people don't think to Google or research information for themselves, but was told I was being passive aggressive when I suggested this on another thread....

Children may have internal defibs - but they can still fail.

Taxis & churches would be much better places to have defibs, they cater to truly at-risk populations.

is an internal defib a pacemaker? Or are they completely different things?

Hmm, we had a rule on our PTA when I was on it that we would NOT fund such things as books and whiteboards - the money raised was for extras, not things that should come out of school budget.

But nor would a defibrilator would not be top of my wish list - I would want something that many children could get use out, especially as it si their parents fundraising which has raised this money.

www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/treatment/implantable-cardioverter-defib.aspx

www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/treatment/implantable-cardioverter-defib.aspx

YABU. They are very simple to use and can save lives.

My mum is a head teacher and they got one recently. It tell you exactly what to do - it checks the pulse or lack thereof and decides the shock, frequency everything really. If there is the slightest chance having it could save a life then I'm all for it.

amothers, I can definitely see that - why should the PTA subsidise the normal stuff that should be provided. PTA money should go on stuff above that, nice trips, specific bits of equipment that aren't necessary but are educational and good

I have been involved in fundraising to provide these in every football club in Ireland. We've had a number of young sports people die on whilst doing sports. I know unions advise teachers about using things like this or receiving training for epi pens etc. But if it means the difference between life and death I think I'd take my chances to use it. The worlds gone mad when it means people won't help a child in case they get sued