Stevens acquires three automated external defibrillators
School makes life-saving machines a campus priority
HOBOKEN, N.J. — Each minute after a heart attack is crucial to whether the victim will survive. Studies have shown that when defibrillation is administered within the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest and the heart is jump started, the survival rate can be as high as 90 percent.
Stevens Institute of Technology became one of the first non-emergency facilities in the area to have automated external defibrillators (AED) on its campus last week with the purchase of three of the life-saving machines. Stevens’ registered nurse, Maggie Cunning, and Stevens’ 21 police officers are certified in the use of the AED units and will be the first response in case of cardiac emergencies on campus. The units are ready for use on campus at the Howe Center, Stevens’ main administration building, and in police vehicles.
"By placing itself at the forefront of such precautionary response measures, Stevens has joined the corporate and municipal sectors in providing this critical service to its customers and community members," says Roger Cole, vice president of Student Development and Services and Quality Officer for Student Life.
When a person goes into cardiac arrest, the rhythm of the heart becomes chaotic. The heart is twitching and not pumping blood. Once blood stops circulating, a person loses consciousness and breathing and pulse stop. An AED sends a jolt of electricity through the heart to restore the heart’s natural rhythm.
An operator of the AED unit only has to do three things to help revive a heart attack victim: turn on the machine, attach the pads to the patient’s chest and follow the instructions given by the AED. The machine assesses if the person’s heart rhythm can be corrected with a shock before it sends the operator a message to push a button to deliver the shock. The AED reassesses the rhythm again and instructs the operator in this manner until the rhythm is detected. The AED even tells the operator when to check for a pulse.
About Stevens Institute of Technology
Founded in 1870 and celebrating 140 Years of Innovation, Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation University TM , lives at the intersection of industry, academics and research. The University's students, faculty and partners leverage their collective real-world experience and culture of innovation, research and entrepreneurship to confront global challenges in engineering, science, systems and technology management.
Based in Hoboken, N.J. and with a location in Washington, D.C., Stevens offers baccalaureate, master’s, certificates and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences and management, in addition to baccalaureate degrees in business and liberal arts. Stevens has been recognized by both the US Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Excellence in the areas of systems engineering and port security research. The University has a total enrollment of more than 2,200 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students with almost 450 faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America as well as strategic partnerships with industry leaders, governments and other universities around the world. Additional information may be obtained at www.stevens.edu and www.stevens.edu/press.
