title: Emergency response planning and sudden cardiac arrests in high schools after automated external defibrillator legislation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare medical emergency response plan (MERP) and automated external defibrillator (AED) prevalence and define the incidence and outcomes of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in high schools before and after AED legislation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2011, Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association member schools were surveyed regarding AED placement, MERPs, and on-campus SCAs within the last 5 years. Results were compared with a similar study conducted in 2006, prior to legislation requiring AEDs in schools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the schools solicited, 214 (54%, total enrollment 182 289 students) completed the survey. Compared with 2006, schools in the 2011 survey had a significantly higher prevalence of MERPs (84% vs 71%, P < .001), annual practice (56% vs 36%, P < .001), medical emergency communication systems (80% vs 62%, P < .001), and defibrillators (90% vs 47%, P < .001). No differences were noted in the prevalence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training (20% vs 17%, P = .58) or full compliance with American Heart Association guidelines (11% vs 7%, P = .16). Twenty-two SCA victims were identified, yielding a 5-year incidence of 1 in 10 schools.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After state legislation, schools demonstrated a significant increase in MERPs and on-campus defibrillators but rates of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and overall compliance with guidelines remained low.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN. Electronic address: awatson@uwhealth.org.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Prince J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kannankeril
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meredith
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D047548:Defibrillators / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010934:Planning Techniques; D012574:Schools
keywords: AED; AHA; American Heart Association; Automated external defibrillator; CPR; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation; EMS; Emergency medical services; MERP; Medical emergency response plan; SCA; Sudden cardiac arrest