Automated External Heart Defibrillators, have grown in popularity across the country and are now beginning to appear on college campuses - not only for sports purposes.
In August, Northwestern University installed 10 such devices throughout its campus in places ranging from academic buildings to police cruisers. The University of Arizona installed 12 last month after hearing about other schools using them.
But MSU has not followed the trend - yet.
Some buildings such as Wharton Center, Munn Ice Arena and Spartan Stadium, which see a mix of people varying in ages, all have defibrillator capabilities. However most other buildings on campus do not.
An MSU policy for the devices was established in May, but the university does not recommend installing them sporadically in buildings across campus, mainly because of the quality of medical services already established.
“Some campuses have installed them, but many have not,” University Physician Dr. Beth Alexander said. “MSU has a very rapid response from EMS (Emergency Medical Services), which is a preferable option in the case of cardiac arrest.”
Installing them in dorms, for example, might not be beneficial because of the rarity of cardiac arrest cases among students.
Some university officials say use of defibrillators has spread to universities because they can be used by untrained people in emergency situations.
Normal defibrillators, which help stimulate the heart when its rhythm is incorrect, can only be used by trained medical technicians. Defibrillators have a built in computer chip that does all the monitoring and actually tells the user what actions to execute and when.
Although they sound simple and effective, the devices do have some drawbacks to the real thing, East Lansing fire Chief Randy Talifarro said. “Full defibrillators are better, whereas AEDs would be more of a supplement - they are really for the nonresponder,” he said. “Batteries have to be checked weekly, they have to be maintained and there is a possibility that a person could misuse an AED.”
If any MSU purchases were to occur, they would most likely be placed in MSU police vehicles where officers would get appropriate training, university officials said.
Normally, Talifarro said the fire department provides medical services on campus, depending on the request from the university.
“We provide first aid for most events and our trucks carry both types of defibrillators,” he said.
MSU Varsity Swimming Head Coach Jim Lutz said he feels the technology will be beneficial someday, but shares some of the same concerns for not having them. John Munley, a 22-year-old MSU swimmer on Lutz’ team, died in April when he collapsed while jogging near campus. Munley, a senior at the time, had an enlarged heart, a condition that coaches and family weren’t aware of.
“It’s one thing to have an apparatus, but you want to make sure people know how to use it,” he said.
Alexander feels looking at long term data, such as response times, EMS capabilities and medical emergencies is really the only way to determine whether or not investing in AEDs across campus would be a benefit.
“It might take a couple of years, but I’m hopeful we’ll get good data and make the best decision,” Alexander said.
