ZOLL Propaq MD Rev A - Manual (Page 173)

Synchronized Cardioversion Procedure
9650-0805-01 Rev. A Propaq MD Operator’s Guide 14–11
Synchronized Cardioversion Procedure
Determine the Patient’s Condition and Provide Care Following Local
Medical Protocols
Prepare Patient
Remove all clothing covering the patient’s chest. Dry chest if necessary. If the patient has
excessive chest hair, clip or shave it to ensure proper adhesion of the electrodes.
Attach ECG electrodes (see Chapter 6 for instructions on attaching ECG electrodes to the
patient).
A standard ECG cable and ECG electrodes are recommended for use during cardioversion.
Hands-free therapy electrodes may be used as an ECG source. Signal quality will be equal to
that of standard leads except immediately following a discharge when there may be more noise
due to muscle tremors, especially if an electrode is not in complete contact with the skin.
Attach hands-free therapy electrodes according to instructions on the electrode packaging and
as described in “Therapy Electrode Application” on page 14-6.
Ensure that the therapy electrodes are making good contact with the patient’s skin and are not
covering any part of any other electrodes.
If paddles are being used for synchronized cardioversion, refer to “Emergency Defibrillation
Procedure with Paddles” on page 14-1 for preparing paddles, applying paddles, charging the
defibrillator, and delivering a shock. Note, however, that synchronized discharge with paddles
as an ECG source is discouraged since the artifact induced by moving the paddles may
resemble an R-wave and trigger defibrillator discharge at the wrong time.
Turn the Unit On
Press the green power switch located on the top of the unit. The green, yellow, and red lights at
the top of the unit flash on and off, and the unit displays the message SELF TEST PASSED.
Press the Sync Key
Press the Sync button on the front panel. The system will now be in SYNC mode. A sync
marker (
S ) appears on the monitor above each detected R-wave to indicate where discharge
will occur. A Sync indicator appears at the top of the display screen, and a green light next to
the indicator flashes with each Sync marker.
Note: If the marker does not appear over the R wave, select a different ECG lead. If the sync
marker doesn’t display, the defibrillator will not discharge.
Unless otherwise configured, the unit automatically exits Sync mode after each shock. To
reactivate SYNC mode, press the Sync button on the front panel again. Changing the selected
energy levels does not cause the unit to leave SYNC mode.
SYNC