Tennessee State AED Law
Physician
A licensed physician in Tennessee must oversee the AED program. Every instance of using the AED on a person in cardiac arrest must be reported to the supervising physician or their designated individual, as well as to the department.
CPR/AED Training
Those expected to use a defibrillator must undergo training in American Heart Association CPR and AED, or an equivalent nationally recognized course in defibrillator use and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
EMS Notification
Anyone or any organization obtaining an automatic external defibrillator must register the presence and location of the device with the emergency communications district or the ambulance dispatch center of the primary emergency medical services provider where the defibrillator will be located within thirty days of acquiring the defibrillator.
Maintenance
The defibrillator must be maintained and tested in accordance with the manufacturer's operational guidelines.
Notification of Use
Anyone providing emergency care or treatment to a person in cardiac arrest using an automatic external defibrillator must promptly activate the emergency medical services system.
Laws / Legislation
| Reference | Date | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| House Bill 776 | 2019 | Requires, rather than encourages, all public middle and elementary schools to place one or more automated external defibrillators within the school. – Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 68, Chapter 140, Part 4. |
| House Bill 521 | 2018 | Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-2-122(a), is amended by deleting the subsection in its entirety and substituting instead: All public high schools shall have automated external defibrillator (AED) devices. |
| TN Code § 68-140-409 | 2016 | Sections § 68-140-402 and § 68-140-404 § 68-140-409 shall only apply to situations involving emergency use of an AED and in no case shall it apply where there is a duty to provide care. Nor shall it apply where a doctor has prescribed use of an AED for a patient’s use in the patient’s private home. |
| TN Code § 68-140-407 | 2016 | An individual providing training to others in an approved program on the use of an AED shall be held harmless by the employer of the trainer for damages caused by training that was negligent. |
| TN Code § 68-140-406 | 2016 | The entity responsible for the AED program shall not be liable for any civil liability for any personal injury that results from an act or omission that does not amount to willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence if the applicable provisions and program established under § 68-140-404 and the rules adopted by the department pursuant to § 68-140-405 have been met by the entity and have been followed by the individuals using the AED. |
| TN Code § 68-140-405 | 2016 | Specifies the rules, concerning AEDs, that shall be adopted by the department of health. |
| TN Code § 68-140-404 | 2016 | Outlines the requirements for an entity to use or allow the use of an AED. |
| TN Code § 68-140-403 | 2016 | Outlines instructions to ensure the public health and safety for a person that acquires an AED. |
| TN Code § 68-140-402 | 2016 | Defines: Automated External Defibrillator. |
| TN Code § 68-140-401 | 2016 | It is the intent of the general assembly that an AED may be used in accordance with § 68-140-403 for the purpose of saving the life of another person in cardiac arrest. |
| TN Code § 68-140-408 | 2015 | Expected AED users shall complete training in CPR and the use of an AED through a course approved by the Tennessee emergency medical services board. |
| TN Rules and Reg § 0460-02-.07 | 2015 | Outlines AED requirements for dental offices. |
| TN Code § 49-2-122 | 2010 | Outlines AED requirements for public schools. |
| TN Code § 49-6-1208 | 2010 | Outlines a comprehensive plan for training, certification, and credentialing in the use of AEDs, according to state board of education. |
| TN Rules and Reg § 1200-12-1-.19 | 2005 | Outlines instructions to ensure the public health and safety for a person that acquires an AED |