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Sudden cardiac arrest can happen without warning, even to a healthy athlete. Survivor Hailey Yentz shares why AED readiness, training and preparation can make the difference between life and death.
Hailey Yentz was a Division I athlete at East Carolina University with her sights set on school, sports and the future when sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) during a workout changed everything. Quick action by athletic trainers, including CPR and the use of an AED, saved her life, but doctors later diagnosed her with a heart condition she never knew she had. Now an advocate for cardiac emergency preparedness, Yentz is using her experience to raise awareness during Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month.
For Yentz, cardiac arrest preparedness starts with recognizing that an emergency can happen to anyone, regardless of age, health or appearance. “I was a Division I athlete, and I never imagined I would suddenly collapse and need someone to save my life.”
Yentz encourages practices to make sure their devices are genuinely ready for an emergency, including checking that pads are in date, batteries are working and self-tests have been completed. Staff should also know where the nearest AED is and how to access it quickly.
“Most importantly, you have to practice,” Yentz says. “In an SCA emergency, you don’t want to be standing there thinking, What do I do? You want to already know.”
Yentz also wants to dispel the idea that responding to cardiac arrest is solely the responsibility of medical professionals. “Anyone can help.”
For clinicians and practice leaders, preparation means having a plan before an emergency occurs. Yentz recommends knowing where the AED is located and ensuring it can be retrieved and applied within about three minutes of a collapse. Regular CPR and AED training and practice can help staff respond without hesitation.
Practices should also periodically reassess whether an older AED still meets their needs. “Technology has changed so much,” she said. AEDs have been around for more than 20 years, and what we have available today is very different from what was available when many of these devices were first purchased.
For example, today’s AED technology can support preparedness both before and during the cardiac emergency. The ZOLL AED 3® provides real-time CPR feedback to help guide rescuers during CPR, while connectivity solutions can help organizations monitor AED readiness and better manage their devices so they are prepared when needed. “To me, that’s powerful because the goal isn’t just having an AED — it’s making sure it’s ready to help whoever needs it.”