title: Emergency defibrillation performed by coronary nursing staff: A pilot report.
abstract: The time taken to initiate defibrillation is a key factor in determining survival after cardiac arrest; all first-responding medical or paramedical personnel are thus recommended to receive training in defibrillation skills. We have recently established a working programme that allows trained coronary care nurses to defibrillate in emergencies. Prospective data collected from 1 October 1996 to 31 January 1997 showed that a total of 11 witnessed episodes of ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia occurred in nine patients, and were defibrillated by nurses. All the defibrillations were started within 1 minute of cardiac arrest. In five patients, defibrillation was commenced before the arrival of the crash team of doctors; three of the five patients survived. There were no violations of the resuscitation protocol or complications relating to defibrillation. Through programmed training in advanced cardiac life-support, coronary care nurses are capable of providing safe and prompt defibrillation. The importance of training and re-certification is also stressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: N NS
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Lau