Nursing homes for the elderly are routinely locations with numerous annual cardiac arrests; however, some nursing homes still do not have early defibrillation capabilities and the prevalence of AED’s like facilities is lower than it should be.

Texas is one state that is looking to make AED’s mandatory in nursing homes.  House Bill 392 was enacted by the legislature in Texas requiring nursing homes to have at least one automated external defibrillator (AED) available for use, as well as complying with AED training and notification requirements.

The bill stipulates that any institution without the funds to purchase an AED may solicit “gifts, grants, or donations” to purchase or maintain a machine.  The bill also requires that the use of the AED on residents must be consistent with each resident’s advance directive.  Each facility must employ at least one person who is trained in the proper use of AED’s.

Though the Bill has been in effect since September 1, 2009, Institutions have until September 1, 2012 to meeting the mandate’s compliance requirements.

HeartSafe Am (www.aed-shop.com) offers AED’s for nursing home and elderly facilities from the industry’s leading manufacturers, with available CPR and AED training materials. Contact AED-SHOP today for more information at 1-877-251-SHOP!