1. Standardize equipment, especially defibrillators.

2. Single-ring telephone answer by operators on phone line dedicated to crises. An easily remembered number is good.

3. Label all phones with the crisis phone number. Include replacement of labels in routine phone preventive maintenance.

4. Dual notification systems. Phone, pager, overhead announcements are all options.

5. Use pads, not paddles and not lead electrodes for fastest diagnosis and treatment. Paddles are unsafe compared to pads.

6. Always turn on the defibrillator to “defibrillate” and NOT “monitor”. Wrong mode is most common cause of defibrillation failure.

7. Always face the patient when you push the defibrillate button. It builds trust and increases safety. It enables continued CPR until the moment of defibrillation.

8. Always have at least 2 people checking the pulse at all times to increase reliability. Call out pulses and compare with others to confirm pulse.

9. Call for a team response as soon as the crisis is identified. Collecting more information delays treatment because it delays the team.

10. Response team should always first thank the caller for the call, then ask how the team can help. Calling for help is an act of heroism.

11. Stage mock codes to assess readiness.