ISS Solutions Undertakes the AED Challenge

When the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) put out a call for healthcare technology management (HTM) professionals to act, we listened. An automatic external defibrillator (AED) can save lives if it is properly maintained and used by a person with training. Inspired by the AAMI AED Challenge, ISS Solutions hit the streets in the lead-up to HTM Week. ISS Solutions believes in supporting the communities in which we work, and AAMI’s challenge to review the maintenance of AEDs in public spaces fits right into that part of our mission. Employees visited schools, stores, and other locations and asked about their AED maintenance programs. Visiting these sites and asking about maintenance provided a great reminder for them to follow up and ensure their equipment maintenance is up to date.

At one local school visited in New Jersey, the program was very well organized and included training for all teachers regarding the locations and proper use of the AEDs. It is the responsibility of the school nurses to check the AEDs, including their batteries and pads, once per month. School Nurse Martha Fico said the program has made her more aware of AED operation and that she now looks for them when she is out in other public venues. ISS Solutions’ community checks of AEDs serve as a reminder to those who may not have such thorough programs already in place: the AED is only useful if it is ready to go and working when it is needed!