Medical Memento

[venta]

I've just had this news story pointed out to me by my boss. [Short version: elderly woman gets "Do not resuscitate" tattoo.]

Now, the 'no under 16s' signs outside tattoo parlours always say "except for medical reasons". Does anyone know how common this actually is? Although I know a few people who have potentially life-threatening conditions, none of them have tattoos to ensure this information is read... though a couple of them do wear those SOS Talisman necklaces.

Comments

[jiggery-pokery.livejournal.com]

I've seen at least one and probably three or four around the place - one at Darlington station, bringing this back on-topic to venta. Apparently the machinery contains some sort of logic to detect whether the restart is necessary and will not apply the energy if it is not necessary. Not sure how this would work, but it does sound reassuring.

I think I can remember seeing another one in either a big supermarket or a shopping centre, too.

Eh?

[venta.livejournal.com]

the machinery contains some sort of logic to detect whether the restart is necessary and will not apply the energy if it is not necessary

Suppose we assume for the moment that this is correct, and the mechanism works. Thus there is no chance that I might accidentally defibrillate someone who doesn't need it.

So why on earth can they only be operated by trained people? Surely, if you need resuscitating, an incompetent with a defibrillator is better than nothing?

Re: Eh?

[jiggery-pokery.livejournal.com]

Theoretically perhaps the mechanism will only work if the equipment is physically installed properly and this is where the training is required. (Alternatively, it might be possible for an incompetent to apply the equipment incorrectly so to trigger the logic into thinking that energy is required when really it isn't.)

This is a guess, obviously. :-)

Re: Eh?

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Suppose we assume for the moment that this is correct, and the mechanism works

And suppose we assume for a separate moment that it doesn't, and that there are either false positives (i.e., it is possible to use the defibrillator for amusing cartoon hair-stand-on-end moments) or false negatives (i.e., some poor bastard is going to die because the defibrillator refuses to work)...

Re: Eh?

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

Thus there is no chance that I might accidentally defibrillate someone who doesn't need it.

Wrong. If you've applied the plate to their chest, you might be OK. If you've applied it to their forehead, things won't go so well (no heartbeat up there, is there ?).

Trained personnel doesn't imply anything very profound, just a quick check for fuzzy felt feet !

Oh yeah

[venta.livejournal.com]

I'll just be off to have dinner, and write out "I must remember that many people are very stupid" 1000 times.

Re: Eh?

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Trained personnel doesn't imply anything very profound

Well, if they're being given defibrillators to play with, maybe it does. Otherwise you're probably better off waiting for the ambulance even if they don't do anything outrageously dumb.