Published November 26, 2025
Westerly Hospital recently acquired a device that has the potential to make a life-saving difference for patients suffering cardiac arrest – a chest compression system that provides mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The LUCAS chest compression system replaces the need for manual CPR while ensuring that compressions are delivered at the correct depth and rate. The device is designed to minimize risk of injury while maximizing a patient’s chance of survival.
“In an emergency, this equipment won’t tire out like a human will,” said Bethany Gingerella, RN, nurse manager in the ED. “It pushes about two inches into the patient’s chest, and it’s doing that at about 110 times a minute. In the case of cardiac arrest, without this device, our staff has to switch out every two minutes to maintain adequate compressions. It takes a lot because CPR is exhausting.”
In addition, the system – which comes in a hard backpack case and can easily be moved to any location – allows members of the medical team to focus on other critical tasks during resuscitation efforts. “We can also use a defibrillator at the same time because the LUCAS operates clear of where you would put the pads,” Gingerella said. “It’s a device we always hope we don’t have to use, but we’re also glad we have it.”
Craig Mittleman, MD, medical director of Emergency Services for L+M and Westerly hospitals, said the devices are used at L+M and across the health system as well. “We are happy to have these devices, which ensure high-quality chest compressions during cardiac arrest situations,” he said.
