Sudden cardiac arrest is an abrupt loss of heart function caused by a rapid, chaotic disturbance of the heart's natural rhythm. As part of its yearlong campaign, St. Vincent's will take the lead in better educating both healthcare providers and the community about sudden cardiac arrest and its factors in order to increase awareness and improve access to life-saving therapies.

St. Vincent's Partners in Preventing SCA campaign started with the arrival of a mobile therapy-training unit designed by Medtronic. The 80-foot-long virtual treatment lab is designed to provide physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers a unique setting in which to learn more about patients at risk for SCA and what is available to them. The unit will visit 12 hospitals nationwide; St. Vincent's is its only Florida location.

Some of the  events planned during the 12-month project include the following:

• Training for physicians and other healthcare providers, Nov. 13-15 and again in February 2007
• Education to the public about early detection of SCA risk factors. You can get this information from St. Vincent's HealthLink nurses by calling 904-308-LINK and by visiting this web address
• SCA education programs and screenings at St. Vincent's
• 10 free automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to Jacksonville area organizations that can demonstrate their need for the devices and agree to complete training in how to use them

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