scholarly journals (A142) Simulated Evacuation of Three Critical Hospital Departments: A Comparison

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s40-s41 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.L. Dhondt ◽  
D. Lauwaert ◽  
C. Hendrickx
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Day Surgery ◽  
Simulated Patients ◽  
Military Hospital ◽  
Incident Management ◽  
Specialist Care ◽  
University Hospitals ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Evacuation Drills

BackgroundAccording to the Belgian Hospital Disaster Planning Act, all hospitals are required to have written disaster plans and to routinely conduct annual disaster drills. In 2010, three neighboring hospitals organized independently from each other an evacuation exercise of a critical care department (CCD): two university hospitals of a Dialysis Center and a One-day Surgery Clinic respectively and the military hospital of a Burn Unit.AimTo compare these CCD's evacuation plans and drills and the overall hospital emergency incident response and command system.Methods and ResultsConducting an evacuation exercise in a CCD, moving vulnerable highly dependent people towards an alternative shelter site is challenging, causing an important burden to ongoing medical specialist care, working staff and critical infrastructure. In all three CCD, it was decided to conduct a simulated evacuation exercise following an internal fire, thereby deploying fashioned simulated patients and visitors but bringing into action the regular attending medical, nursing and logistic staff. In each hospital a multidisciplinary design team was launched, consisting of the hospitals disaster preparedness coordinator, the EMS-staff, external emergency incident management and operational engineering experts. The appointed objectives for evaluation were the knowledge of the regular evacuation drills, especially the clearance of an intensive care or an operating room; access to evacuation routes; visibility of safety guidelines; need of specific evacuation equipment for the movement of patients; mission and tasks of the hospital's first response team and the medical incident manager; communication and information flow and the establishment of the hospital's coordination committee.Conclusion1. Simulated hospital evacuation exercises increased the hospital emergency preparedness, awareness and response to disasters within the hospital, in particular in a CCD, otherwise difficult to assess. 2. All three CCD experienced the same challenges and identified similar flaws. 3. A hospital disaster exercise manual might be of valuable help.

scholarly journals (P2-17) “Burning Valentine,” a Simulated Evacuation Exercise of a Burn Unit (BU)

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s141-s141
Author(s):  
E.L. Dhondt ◽  
T. Peeters ◽  
L. Orlans
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Fire Detection ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
Simulated Patients ◽  
Military Hospital ◽  
Incident Management ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Burn Care ◽  
Evacuation Drills

BackgroundAccording to the Belgian Hospital Disaster Planning Act, all hospitals are required to have written disaster plans and to routinely conduct annual disaster drills. In 2010, the management of the Military Hospital decided to organize an evacuation exercise of the newly built 24-bed BU.AimTo evaluate this new BU's evacuation plan and drills and the overall hospital emergency incident response and command system.Methods and ResultsIt was decided to conduct a simulated evacuation exercise following an internal fire, before the BU effectively was put into use, thereby deploying fashioned simulated patients and visitors but bringing into action the regular attending medical, nursing and logistic staff. A multidisciplinary design and organizing team was launched, consisting of the hospitals disaster preparedness coordinator, the EMS-staff, external burn care, emergency incident management and operational engineering experts. The appointed objectives for evaluation were the knowledge of the regular evacuation drills, especially the clearance of an intensive care room; access to evacuation routes; visibility of safety guidelines; mission and tasks of the hospital's first response team and the medical incident manager; communication and information flow and the establishment of the hospital's coordination committee. In the mean time and following lessons learned, a number of mitigation measures have been instituted: adequate identification of evacuated rooms, new configuration of the fire detection alarm, optimized access to stairwells and elevators, adjustment of action cards and specific fire fighting training for hospital staff. Finally the decision was made not to purchase specific evacuation equipment for the movement of patients.ConclusionTaking advantage of the BU's provisional vacancy, a simulated hospital evacuation exercise increased the hospital emergency preparedness, awareness and response to disasters within the hospital, in particular in a critical care department, otherwise difficult to assess.

Emergency preparedness: Interviews with senior leadership in Nebraska hospitals

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 399-409
Author(s):  
Shreya Roy, PhD ◽  
Sarbinaz Bekmuratova, PhD ◽  
Sharon Medcalf, PhD ◽  
Harlan Sayles, MS ◽  
Wael ElRayes, MD, PhD, FACHE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Senior Leadership ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Organizational Mission ◽  
Vulnerability Assessments ◽  
Community Staff ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Hospital Emergency Preparedness

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore perceptions of senior leadership in hospitals on the motivations, cost, benefits, barriers, and facilitators of investment in emergency preparedness. Study design: This is a qualitative study which used a grounded theory approach to develop a theory of hospital emergency preparedness. Setting and study participants: A purposive sample of hospital leaders (n = 11) in the US state of Nebraska were interviewed.Results: Results showed that the environmental risk associated with the hospital location, the hospital’s position in the community, and the preparedness requirements of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services contribute to investment decisions. Rural hospitals face unique challenges in preparing for disasters, for example, lack of trained personnel. Facilitators of disaster preparedness include the availability of federal funds, the commitment of leadership, and an organizational mission aligned toward emergency preparedness. Hospitals invest in hazard vulnerability assessments; partnerships with other organizations in the community; staff trainings and infrastructure.Conclusions: The authors concluded that hospitals in Nebraska are committed toward investing in preparedness activities. The theory of hospital emergency preparedness developed will be used in a subsequent study to develop a decision-support framework for hospital investment in preparedness.

scholarly journals Hospitals preparedness using WHO guideline: A systematic review and meta-analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 211-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Rezaei ◽  
Mohammad Reza Maracy ◽  
Mohammad H Yarmohammadian ◽  
Hojat Sheikhbardsiri
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
World Health ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Hospital Emergency Preparedness

Background: Hospitals play a critical role in providing communities with essential medical care during disasters. Objectives: In this article, the key components and recommended actions of WHO (World Health Organization) Hospital emergency response checklist have been considered to identify current practices in disaster/emergency hospital preparedness in actual or potential incidents. Methods: Articles were obtained through bibliographic databases, including ISI Web of Science, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SID: Scientific information database. Keywords were “Disaster,” “Preparedness,” “Emergency Preparedness,” “Disaster Planning,” “Mass Casualty Incidents,” “Hospital Emergency Preparedness,” “Health Emergency Preparedness,” “Preparedness Response,” and “Emergency Readiness.” Independent reviewers (F.R. and M.H.Y.) screened abstracts and titles for eligibility. STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology) checklist was used to qualifying the studies for this review. Results: Of 1545 identified studies, 26 articles were implied inclusion criteria. They accounted for nine key components and 92 recommended actions. The majority of principles that had been rigorously recommended at any level of the hospital emergency preparedness were command and control and post-disaster recovery. Surge capacity was considered less frequently. Conclusion: We recommend considering the proposed disaster categories by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). In this framework, different weights for nine components can be considered based on disaster categories. Thus, a more valid and reliable preparedness checklist could be developed.

The evolution of healthcare disaster preparedness and response training at the FEMA Center for Domestic Preparedness

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-8
Author(s):  
Roy Marlow, MS ◽  
Sondra Singleton, EdD ◽  
Denis Campeau, MS ◽  
Tony Russell, MA, CEM ◽  
Richard Hunt, MD ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Management Training ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Military Hospital ◽  
Treatment Area ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Training Facility ◽  
Department Of Health

The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) in partnership with the US Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response is using a multiagency/organization, targeted, collaborative approach to adjust existing courses and develop responsive new courses to provide best practices education and experiential learning techniques in healthcare facility emergency resilience, preparedness, response, and recovery applicable to all first receivers. The CDP in Anniston, AL, is a Federal Emergency Management Agency training facility for the Nation’s state, local, tribal, and territorial first responders and healthcare professionals. The Center’s role has rapidly evolved to provide healthcare emergency preparedness, response, and management training. Through the integration of its Noble Training Facility, a former military hospital, the training courses replicate disaster and mass casualty emergency situations. Patient simulators enable triage and assessment of treatment for mass casualty surge skills application while an isolation ward serves as a training laboratory for the care of patients with infectious diseases of specific concern. Ambulance simulators and an eight-bay treatment area add authenticity to an integrated capstone event accompanying select classes.

THE ROLE OF EDUCATION ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS CASE STUDY OF 2012 INDIAN OCEAN EARTHQUAKES ON THAILAND’S

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raya Muttarak ◽  
Wiraporn Pothisiri
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Disaster Experience ◽  
Individual Household ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
The Individual

In this paper we investigate how well residents of the Andaman coast in Phang Nga province, Thailand, are prepared for earthquakes and tsunami. It is hypothesized that formal education can promote disaster preparedness because education enhances individual cognitive and learning skills, as well as access to information. A survey was conducted of 557 households in the areas that received tsunami warnings following the Indian Ocean earthquakes on 11 April 2012. Interviews were carried out during the period of numerous aftershocks, which put residents in the region on high alert. The respondents were asked what emergency preparedness measures they had taken following the 11 April earthquakes. Using the partial proportional odds model, the paper investigates determinants of personal disaster preparedness measured as the number of preparedness actions taken. Controlling for village effects, we find that formal education, measured at the individual, household, and community levels, has a positive relationship with taking preparedness measures. For the survey group without past disaster experience, the education level of household members is positively related to disaster preparedness. The findings also show that disaster related training is most effective for individuals with high educational attainment. Furthermore, living in a community with a higher proportion of women who have at least a secondary education increases the likelihood of disaster preparedness. In conclusion, we found that formal education can increase disaster preparedness and reduce vulnerability to natural hazards.

Preparing Hospitals in India for Covid-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 333-341
Author(s):  
Akanksha Nibudey ◽  
Vidya Baliga S
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Current Outbreak ◽  
Operational Practices ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Care Capacity ◽  
Hospital Emergency Preparedness

Hospitals have important part in the human health organization toprovide necessary treatmentfor public, mainly in a calamity. During the current outbreak of COVID-19, and is in giving important needs and supplies will possibly interrupt the providing critical treatment due to not organized health-care capacity. Along with, a greater amount of personnelabsence can be predictable. A lack of important kits and materials can lead to restricted supplies to desirable care and have a direct impact on healthcare delivery. Anxiety can lead to possibly hamper recognized operational practices. Also in hospitals dealing with COVID 19 pandemic can be a difficulty. In spite of the challenging difficulties and problems expected, the positive and organized execution of important basic and definite arrangements can aid successful hospital-based organization for the period of a speedily progressing epidemic. Hospital emergency preparedness is a constant progression that association to the complete preparedness platform. Several principles and suggestions drawn in this article are general and appropriate to other incidents. The article gives checklist which is proposed to manage current situationby hospital emergency preparation platforms.

Disaster Preparedness: Hospital Decontamination and the Pediatric Patient— Guidelines for Hospitals and Emergency Planners

2008 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Freyberg ◽  
Bonnie Arquilla ◽  
Baruch S. Fertel ◽  
Michael G. Tunik ◽  
Arthur Cooper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Mental Hygiene ◽  
Emergency Situation ◽  
Chemical Agent ◽  
Hospital Emergency ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Policies And Procedures ◽  
Patient Guidelines ◽  
Hospital Emergency Departments

AbstractIn recent years, attention has been given to disaster preparedness for first responders and first receivers (hospitals). One such focus involves the decontamination of individuals who have fallen victim to a chemical agent from an attack or an accident involving hazardous materials. Children often are overlooked in disaster planning. Children are vulnerable and have specific medical and psychological requirements. There is a need to develop specific protocols to address pediatric patients who require decontamination at the entrance of hospital emergency departments. Currently, there are no published resources that meet this need. An expert panel convened by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene developed policies and procedures for the decontamination of pediatric patients.The panel was comprised of experts from a variety of medical and psychosocial areas.Using an iterative process, the panel created guidelines that were approved by the stakeholders and are presented in this paper.These guidelines must be utilized, studied, and modified to increase the likelihood that they will work during an emergency situation.

Simulation of an Aircraft Accident at Brussels Airport

1986 ◽  
Vol 2 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 207-208
Author(s):  
Fr Labeeu ◽  
M de Backer ◽  
C Bellanger
Keyword(s):  
Military Hospital ◽  
University Hospitals ◽  
Disaster Plan ◽  
Code Number ◽  
Landing Point ◽  
Call Number ◽  
Aircraft Accident ◽  
The Military

The exercise held at Brussels Airport was carried out by inexperienced personnel to highlight the most common errors and shortcomings of an existing disaster plan.INCIDENT COMMUNICATIONOnce an aircraft is known to be in trouble, all the nearby fire brigades are alerted by means of the unique call number 900 and move to take up their stand-by position close to the landing point. The Military Hospital is also alerted and sends out a liaison car, with a doctor among its occupants. This car joins the stand-by position. Once the aircraft has crashed, the fire engines rush to the site and all the major university hospitals and the Military Hospital are notified by the same 900-code number. Disaster teams arrive by road.This report is almost exclusively limited to aspects of rescue, triage, on-site stabilization, and evacuation of the casualties.

School-Based Education Programs for Preparing Children for Natural Hazards: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Hamed Seddighi ◽  
Homeira Sajjadi ◽  
Sepideh Yousefzadeh ◽  
Mónica López López ◽  
Meroe Vameghi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
English Language ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
School Based ◽  
Disaster Education ◽  
The Difference ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Schools have a significant role in disaster education to children. This study investigates the research works about school-based education programs in order to discover challenges and best practices. We conducted a systematic review of English language papers published in peer-review journals. The search identified 2577 publications and 61 articles meeting selection criteria and included in the review. Reviewed studies indicated that disaster education in schools is effective but yet insufficient in many countries. Lack of equipment, financial resources, policy gaps, and teachers’ knowledge are common problems in programs. Main outcomes of this systematic review are showing methods used for health emergency preparedness of children of different ages and gender differences in school-based disaster preparedness, as well as the difference in their lifesaving skills in disasters. This study shows that some disaster education programs reported in the papers reviewed were not high-quality enough, which may lead to insufficient preparedness of children in disasters and consequently may put their health at risk, considering the increasing number of natural hazards.

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