Patient and Healthcare Team Safety (Disasters, Environmental Hazards)

Guidelines:

• Earthquakes
  • Secure equipment
  • Dust
  • Know zone and capabilities
• Flood
  • Typically slow enough to cancel cases
  • SPD likely affected
• Fire
  • RACE
• Evacuate
  • Close if possible
    • Blue towels staples
  • Medsled
  • Portable vent/bag/etc
  • Communicate
• TRAIN

Considerations:

• Train for specifics
• Have gear available and visible
• Designated routes
• Horizontal then vertical
• Barricades (shooter)
• O2 shut off
  • know where it goes!

Nurse’s role:

• Communicate
• Activate alarm/supplies
• Know route and details
• Assist wherever possible

Pitfalls:

• Fight over stay vs go
• Resume too early
• Blame game

Examples:

• Fire called overhead, marbled, unclear specifics in OR (OR RN gain details, surgical
  team anticipate need to evac, communicate)

Linchpins (Key Points):

• Worst case scenario. Communicate and follow training