The accessibility of AEDs has been an increasing concern these days especially in public venues. Lack of naloxone and a non-functioning AED in a psychiatric facility resulted in the death of an inmate.
A 46-year old inmate at the facility was declared dead after he was found unresponsive by the staff. An inquest was started to probe into the cause of his death.
The inmate has been serving a sentence way back since 2011 for second-degree murder.
During the inquest, the first witness was the correctional officer. He was on incident responder duty at the time of the incident. He received a radio call regarding an unresponsive inmate. As he was gathering the necessary supplies to bring along, another radio call came indicating that the inmate is in medical distress.
After a minute, he reached the cell of the inmate in medical distress. The door was already open and a male nurse together with a correctional officer were inside. The inmate was on his bed while the nurse checked the pulse.
The inmate was moved out of the cell to start CPR. The nurse went out to retrieve the crash cart. When the AED was about to be used, there was an issue with the pads. Another AED was retrieved from another unit.
During the inquest, a question was brought up regarding an air tube that punctured the inmate’s lungs. The witness recalled seeing blood at one point, but it was no longer there when he left the scene.
During the inquest, it was discovered that drugs might be smuggled into the facility and some inmates have “cheeked” their prescription drugs.
Be ready to save a life by enrolling in a first aid course
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) can save a life. Prompt delivery of life-saving techniques improves the chances of survival during emergencies.
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Learn how to be ready for emergencies by enrolling in our first aid and CPR course. Our courses maintain social distancing measures with reduced class sizes to maintain the minimum 2 meters apart along with the mandatory use of face masks and regular temperature checks. The venue of the courses undergo regular, enhanced cleaning and disinfection routines.
For more information, check out these sources:
https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/what-is-cpr
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324712