Seeking a Solution: The locking up of the Automatic Emergency Defibrillator (AED)

Reaching Out a Solution Nurses and other health care professionals have a responsibility to critically analyze care delivery processes to identify challenges that might hinder the accomplishment of the projected objectives. Once problems are identified nurses should use leadership and problems solving skills to develop and implement practical solutions (Mason, Leavitt, & Chaffee, 2013). This paper highlights the process of reaching out a solution for a scenario whereby the automatic emergency defibrillator (AED) was locked up by the custodian making it unavailable for emergency cases.

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REACHING OUT A SOLUTION

2 What is the Issue?

The issue being addressed in this case is the locking up of the automatic emergency defibrillator (AED). The custodian locked up the AED making it unreachable for use in the case of an emergency. It is unfortunate that the custodian who had a clear understanding of the importance of the AED decided to lock it up in the closet. Since emergency cases that require the use of the AED can occur anytime, this medical device should be stored in a place where the medical team can easily access.

Is it My Issue, and Can I Solve It? All issues relating to the inappropriate storage of medical and emergency care devices touch on the role and responsibilities of nurses. The participation of nurses in problem-solving is essential since they understand the health needs of the patients due to their direct and indirect involvement in patient care. The use, as well as the storage of the AED, falls under the obligation of the school nurse. Therefore, there is a need for the school nurse to ensure that practical measures are implemented to guide the use and storage of all medical devices.

Is This the Real Issue or Merely a Symptom of a Larger One? A critical assessment of the problem, in this case, reveals that it is a representation of a larger problem. It is highly likely that even though the school made a significant step of purchasing the Defibrillator measures were not put in place to ensure the custodians were informed on handling, storage and retrieval of the machine. The Northern Ireland Education and Library Boards (2015) pointed out that although schools are not ethically or legally obligated to have a defibrillator, they can purchase one to benefit members and visitors in case of an emergency. The safety and first aid regulations, as highlighted by the Northern Ireland Education and Library Boards (2015), make it clear that upon purchasing a defibrillator, the employer

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should ensure practical measures are put in place to train all parties involved in the handling of this gadget.

Does It Need an Immediate Solution, or Can It Wait?

When problems that threated delivery of care are detected, they should be addressed immediately. The need to resolve a problem increases significantly if the problem is related to the delivery of emergency care. In this case, the custodian and any other person involved in handling the AED should be trained comprehensively on all aspects related to this gadget. These people should be informed of the need to properly store this gadget in a place easily identifiable and accessible by the emergency team. Furthermore, the custodian should be notified of the events, such as sporting activities, that increase the likelihood of using the AED. Is It Likely to Go Away By Itself?

In many cases, people adopt a wait and see approach while addressing problems.

Unfortunately, some problems do not resolve by themselves. Failure to address the issue at hand promptly may lead to its escalation and creation of tension at the workplace (Normore, Javidi, Long, & IGI Global, 2016). The problems should be analyzed critically, and a lasting solution developed to avoid similar situations in the future. The school nurse should initiate a process to resolve this issue before it becomes a huge problem.

Can I Risk Ignoring It? It is impractical to ignore problems that negatively affect the process of care delivery (Normoreey et al., 2016). The school nurse should not ignore this problem due to the lifethreatening nature of the situations that require the use of an AED. The nurse should instead propose and participate in the implementation of a solution that can potentially thwart similar situations in the future. It should be realized that overlooking a distinguishable health care

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problem is like pouring gasoline into a fire (Normoreey et al., 2016). Other problems such as poor communication, conflicts, tension and decreased interactions are likely to occur if this problem is ignored.

What Are the Possible Solutions?

Since every health care problem has a set of possible solutions, it is the responsibility of the nurses involved to identify and implement the most practical solutions (Normoreey et al., 2016). In this case, training is one of the most viable solutions. All parties who are directly or indirectly involved in the use of the defibrillator should be trained appropriately. Training can equip the custodian and other users with basic information concerning the storage, retrieval and use of an AED. Another defibrillator can be purchased to ensure that backup is always available in times of need. Another practical solution is the construction of a common storage place.

Are There Risks to These Solutions?

The proposed solutions do not have any major risks. However, a significant amount of financial resources may be used to construct the storage place and purchase another device.

Moreover, some users may resist the proposed interventions as they are used to the traditional process.

What Steps Would You Need to Take to Solve the Issue?

It is irrefutable that problem-solving is not a single step process. Various steps are involved in generating an amicable solution to a particular problem. Some of the steps that can be applied in resolving a particular problem include the identification of potential causes, the risk factors, the people involved. The possible solutions should be identified and listed in order of practicality.

Does Anyone Else in the School Need to Be Involved in the Solution?

REACHING OUT A SOLUTION It is important to involve the school authority in the development and implementation of solutions to an identified health issue. In this case, the school head, the administrator, the custodians and the student leaders should be involved. The involvement of these parties is relevant due to their direct involvement in student-related issues.

Where is the power leverage in the school to reach the preferred solution?

The school nurse, as pointed out by Mason et al. (2013), holds the ultimate power on health issues due to his/her skill, knowledge and special capabilities to address health-related issues at the school level. The school nurse is, thus, better placed in training other parties on the use and storage of the AED. The training should, however, be conducted in collaboration with the school leaders to avoid conflicts.

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6 References

Mason, D. J., Leavitt, J. K., & Chaffee, M. W. (2013). Policy and politics in nursing and healthcare.

Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Normore, A. H., Javidi, M., Long, L. W., & IGI Global. (2016). Handbook of research on effective communication, leadership, and conflict resolution. Hershey, PA: IGI Global Northern Ireland Education and Library Boards (2015). Automatic External Defibrillator (AED’s) guidelines for schools. Retrieved from http://www.eani.org.uk/_resources/assets/attachment/full/0/54302.pdf