Nursing Staff Lacked Education on AED Location
Penalty
Summary
Facility staff failed to ensure that all nursing staff were educated on the location of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED). During a recertification and complaint survey, interviews were conducted with eleven nursing staff members, including agency and facility staff. Three of these staff members, specifically two Geriatric Nursing Assistants (GNAs) and one Certified Medication Aide (CMA), were unable to correctly identify the location of the AED. One GNA stated they had never been shown the AED location, another incorrectly believed it was on the medication cart, and the CMA initially thought it was in the medication room before being corrected. A review of the facility's Welcome Training packet for nursing staff revealed that it did not include any information or evidence of training regarding the location of the AED for new or agency staff. This lack of education and orientation contributed to the deficiency, as not all staff were prepared to respond appropriately in an emergency situation requiring the use of the AED.