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.

MsJamie - it goes after the first few posts that reanimate it.

Wow - nasty. Trying to save people from commenting unnecessarily = nasty now. Grow up.

Well I've just read the whole thread before realising how old it was. I'm glad I did though because I've learnt a huge amount and will now book myself onto a first aid course.

Trying to save people from commenting unnecessarily

Is that what you call swearing at posters who fail to spot the zombie thread? Yes you are nasty!

*3. 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)*

• for these reasons, YANBU. there needs to be consultation with the staff and parents, and training before this goes ahead. I imagine an defibrillator is not suitable for use by someone with no training (certainly I wouldn't have a clue what to do with one, for e.g.).

Zombie thread - the OP is from 2012

It's because MN isn't other forums, and it's generally bad form here to bump an old thread. And it comes down to whether you like MN as it is, or if you prefer the norms of other forums

So because 'some' mn'er decided it is annoying, we should all jump on these threads and call the 'offenders' swear words (which I refuse to repeat)? Ummm, ok Glad I have a mind of my own!

Get one, they save lives. End of!

A lot of people seem to think they're electric shock machines waiting to be abused.

They're not. they're so bloomin' easy to use, kids could do it!

More and more places have them, because they recognise that the quicker the defib is used, the more chance there is of survival.

Even if the ambulance is "only" 5 minutes away - your defib machine is maybe 1 minute away. Difference between that child lliving with little.no long lasting effects and not.

Train key members of staff up (just as you do first aid) and get one!

Binary - they decided to get one in 2012. It's presumably been 1 minute away for about three years!

oh....

DISCLAIMER I'm aware the thread is a zombie BUT I read 4/5 pages and no-one had mentioned it (apologies if someone did subsequently) and I thought it was worth mentioning in the context of defibs-

It's a good idea to have scissors and a disposable razor next to the defib (secure but accessible in an emergency obvs). Scissors to cut awkward clothing to reach the chest/side area and razor to shave anyone particularly hairy (as the pads won't stick, therefore won't deliver the shock effectively, far more efficient to have a quick sweep of the razor)

As you were