TEDNYC
Todd Scott: An intergalactic guide to using a defibrillator
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If Yoda goes into cardiac arrest, will you know what to do? Artist and first-aid enthusiast Todd Scott breaks down what you need to know about using an automated external defibrillator, or AED -- in this galaxy and ones that are far, far away. Prepare to save the life of a Jedi, Chewbacca (he'll need a quick shave first) or someone else in need with some helpful pointers.
Todd Scott - First aid instructor
Todd Scott uses humor and pop culture to make CPR training more memorable. Full bio
Todd Scott uses humor and pop culture to make CPR training more memorable. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
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Last year, I got a chance to watch
the new "Star Wars" movie,
the new "Star Wars" movie,
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which was fantastic,
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but one thing kept bugging me.
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I don't know if you noticed this or not.
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In this entirely technically
advanced world,
advanced world,
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I did not see a single AED anywhere,
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which was totally shocking --
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almost as shocking
as not knowing what an AED is,
as not knowing what an AED is,
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which you guys do know.
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But for those at home,
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an AED is an automated
external defibrillator.
external defibrillator.
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It's the device you use
when your heart goes into cardiac arrest
when your heart goes into cardiac arrest
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to shock it back into a normal rhythm,
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or, as one of the guys I was teaching
a class to referred to it as:
a class to referred to it as:
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"The shocky-hearty-box thing."
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(Laughter)
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But I really can't blame the Empire,
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since health and safety regulations
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aren't really their first
order of business.
order of business.
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Though, even if we --
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I think worse than not having an AED
would be if there was one there,
would be if there was one there,
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but just, no one knew where to find it.
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These devices can drastically increase
your chance of survival --
your chance of survival --
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almost like a tauntaun on Hoth.
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(Laughter)
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But I'm pretty sure
that stormtrooper is going to be toast,
that stormtrooper is going to be toast,
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regardless if we have an AED or not,
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since what happens is the chest plate
is going to be quite hard to get off,
is going to be quite hard to get off,
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and like that tauntaun,
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the AED has a very short window of time
at which it's highly effective.
at which it's highly effective.
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In this case -- basically, we've got
to use it within the first 10 minutes.
to use it within the first 10 minutes.
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The Jedi, on the other hand,
have no problems with their outfits.
have no problems with their outfits.
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Those robes open straight up,
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you can place the pads
right onto the chest --
right onto the chest --
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so upper-right-hand side of the chest,
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lower left,
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wait for the unit to determine
if it's a shockable rhythm
if it's a shockable rhythm
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and get ready to shock.
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But, the Jedi do have a problem.
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They have a head appendage issue.
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And so I can be totally clear,
thinking I'm ready to go,
thinking I'm ready to go,
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but I'm accidentally touching a tentacle
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and inadvertently shocking myself.
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(Laughter)
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So before you hit that button,
make sure you are clear
make sure you are clear
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and everyone else is clear.
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Going back to that stormtrooper:
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If I did get that chest plate off in time,
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what would you do if you suddenly found
there was a Wookiee under there,
there was a Wookiee under there,
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or possibly two Ewoks?
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(Laughter)
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Well, lucky for us,
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in the kit there's actually a razor,
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and we can use that to shave the chest
on the upper right-hand side
on the upper right-hand side
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and the lower left.
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Wookiees also have another problem.
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They have an accessory issue.
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What we want to do is remove these --
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anything between the two pads
we want to remove,
we want to remove,
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since it can cause
something called "arcing."
something called "arcing."
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For those who don't know what arcing is,
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do you remember the Emperor,
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when he shoots electricity
out the ends of his fingers --
out the ends of his fingers --
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(Laughter)
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that would be kind of like arcing.
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Another thing that --
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Oh! By the way, he creates that
by wearing wool socks under his robes.
by wearing wool socks under his robes.
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(Laughter)
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We can also get arcing if we have
an extremely wet chest.
an extremely wet chest.
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The electricity travels across the surface
instead of through the heart.
instead of through the heart.
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We can correct this with the immortal
words of Douglas Adams:
words of Douglas Adams:
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"Don't panic," which most of us
have done today --
have done today --
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and also always having a towel.
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So, good words to go by.
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The metal bikini -- unfortunately,
this is where panic sets in --
this is where panic sets in --
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like the modern bra,
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we have to make sure we remove,
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because this can cause
severe arcing along with burns.
severe arcing along with burns.
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But unfortunately this opens up an issue
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that's almost as controversial
as talking about the prequels.
as talking about the prequels.
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(Laughter)
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The mere mention of the word "nipples,"
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and people get into a little
bit of a tizzy.
bit of a tizzy.
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By the way, that is not a nipple,
that's a cupcake.
that's a cupcake.
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(Laughter)
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Chances are, if you do have to use this,
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this is going to be on someone you know.
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And remember, everyone has nipples,
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except for Jabba.
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(Laughter)
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But he does love cupcakes.
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Speaking about Jabba,
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if we do have to use an AED on him,
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remember pad placement is the same,
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even though he doesn't have nipples.
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So it's going to be
upper right-hand side, lower left.
upper right-hand side, lower left.
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If we were going through, we're shocking,
getting ready to go --
getting ready to go --
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after we've done the shock,
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one of the things we need to do
is remember to do compression.
is remember to do compression.
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The preferred method
is 30 compressions and two breaths
is 30 compressions and two breaths
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in the center of the chest,
between the nipples,
between the nipples,
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pressing down at least two inches,
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no more than two and a half,
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at a rate of at least 100 beats a minute,
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no more than 120.
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Unfortunately, due to the size
of Jabba's mouth
of Jabba's mouth
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and also what he puts in said mouth,
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we may not want to actually
do the mouth-to-mouth part.
do the mouth-to-mouth part.
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So instead, we can do
compression-only CPR.
compression-only CPR.
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The way of remembering
the compression-only part
the compression-only part
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is we can actually use the Imperial March.
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I would sing it for you --
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(Laughter)
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Unfortunately, that would be more
something an interrogation droid would do.
something an interrogation droid would do.
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Yoda.
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Small little guy, like a baby.
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What we do is basically
treat him like a baby,
treat him like a baby,
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in the sense that we're going to place
one pad in the center of the chest
one pad in the center of the chest
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and one in the back.
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If we place them both in the front,
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they can be too close
and cause severe arcing,
and cause severe arcing,
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so we want to avoid that.
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Hopefully, this helped to clarify
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and put some light
on some of the darker issues
on some of the darker issues
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of using an AED in the Star Wars universe,
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or any universe in total.
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I'll leave you with one point.
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Remember, if you do find yourself
dealing with a Wookiee,
dealing with a Wookiee,
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do not shave the entire Wookiee.
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This takes way too much time,
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and it only pisses them off.
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(Laughter)
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Thank you very much.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Todd Scott - First aid instructorTodd Scott uses humor and pop culture to make CPR training more memorable.
Why you should listen
Todd Scott has been a CPR / first aid instructor for more than 23 years. In that time he has learned one thing: CPR classes are really boring. Not the subject matter; that's critically important. Especially to Scott, since his Dad died of a heart attack when he was a very young kid. And teaching other people how to use an automated external defibrillator AED is top of his list so they have the skills to one day save his life ... hopefully.
Other than being totally selfish and doing this to save his own, he is trying to make this subject engaging. Year after year the students get bored of being in CPR training, and they stop learning since they know the skills. Best practices in CPR do change over time, even of spans as short as five years, but people come into the classes knowing they know it all. Using humor and pop culture references that people can understand has helped to engage people. A universal love of toast and Star Wars can be used to help teach so many things.
Scott also has an extensive background as a naturalist, outdoor educator, underwater window washer (yes this is a thing), jewelry designer, wilderness EMT, massage practitioner, professional duct tape artist (creating an NBA court-sized duct tape American flag), national spokesman, writer and photographer.
Todd Scott | Speaker | TED.com