“In 2004, we set up a Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) at The Heights,” said Nancy Viamonte, RN, manager of infection prevention and control at Methodist Richardson Medical Center, and one of the founders of The Heights’ MERT program. “We’ve trained dozens of ushers and greeters to respond to a medical emergency. They are on the front line and are likely to be the first upon the scene of an emergency at church. They are also very familiar with the layout of our campus, so they’re trained to meet emergency responders and lead them to the site.”
The MERT team also includes a team of nurses, doctors and healthcare workers who are “on call” on a rotating basis to cover Sunday services and other large gatherings at The Heights. Valerie Trousdale, RN, coordinates the MERT team. Each year a refresher course is held to keep the team informed of the latest procedures. On February 28, about two-dozen ushers and greeters gathered in a meeting room at the church for an update and to practice their skills.
“There have been some recent changes in how to perform CPR,” explained Viamonte. “For instance, the American Heart Association no longer recommends the lay person perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Hands-only CPR calls for 100 uninterrupted chest compressions per minute until emergency responders arrive or an AED can be hooked up to restore a normal heart rhythm.”
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses cardiac arrhythmias and can treat them through defibrillation, the application of electrical shock, which can correct the arrhythmia and allow the heart to reestablish a normal rhythm.
“We currently have two AEDs at the church,” said Viamonte. “One is near the worship center and the other is set up outside the gym. We also have a first aid cart stocked with oxygen and basic supplies that can be easily wheeled to an emergency on campus.”
Since starting the MERT program at The Heights, Mrs. Viamonte has helped about two-dozen other churches set up similar programs.
“If anyone is interested in setting up a MERT program, I developed a turn-key program on my computer that I will be glad to share with you,” she concludes. “It’s easy to set up and it could save a life.”
Nancy Viamonte can be reached at nancyv@richardsonhealth.com. Founded in 1956, The Heights is located at 201 W. Renner Road at US-75. More information is available at www.theheights.org.
