How a major incident plan can be used in an acute healthcare setting

2018 ◽  
Vol 166 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth Makin ◽  
L Smith ◽  
K McDevitt
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
The Body ◽  
Major Incident ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Major Incidents ◽  
Infrastructure Failure ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Acute Healthcare

All NHS Trusts face a diverse range of potential threats and disruptions that can overwhelm the delivery of their routine healthcare services. Major incidents range from significant infrastructure failure to responding to significant casualty numbers from natural disasters and malicious incidents. Major incident plans are one of the body of documents that support trusts and in this instance acute NHS trusts in emergency preparedness. Major incident plans can be used as a reference point for staff of all disciplines, that is, clinical and non-clinical. Major incident plans incorporate the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 for NHS-funded providers to ensure trusts conduct risk assessments, emergency planning, cooperating with other organisations, and internal and external communication. This paper summarises some of the key aspects in the construction and the use of major incident plans in acute care trusts.

scholarly journals Major incident preparedness: a curriculum and workplace necessity

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Hampson
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
Major Incident ◽  
Incident Response ◽  
Emergency Responder ◽  
Improved Outcomes ◽  
Major Incidents ◽  
Student Training ◽  
Multiple Component

AbstractMajor incidents are defined as: An event or situation with a range of serious consequences, which require special arrangements to be implemented by one, or more emergency responder agency. The ability for a healthcare system to respond effectively relies upon multiple component parts working effectively. Simulating, understanding and learning from major incidents is not widespread throughout the wider healthcare setting. However, anyone can be involved without warning. Staff working in any healthcare setting should have the knowledge and skills to respond to major incidents. It is time to include major incident response and emergency planning into the undergraduate medical curriculum. Further, it should be mandatory in all routine staff and student training. These events occur infrequently, but if managed poorly can be disastrous. This new significance placed on emergency preparedness will equip staff to face these challenges and deliver improved outcomes.

Improving Agent-Based Simulation of Major Incident Response in the United Kingdom through Conceptual and Operational Validation

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Glenn I. Hawe ◽  
Graham Coates ◽  
Duncan T. Wilson ◽  
Roger S. Crouch
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Major Incident ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Major Incidents ◽  
Operational Validation ◽  
The Uk

The aim of this paper is to report on how the credibility of an agent-based model (ABM) of the United Kingdom emergency services' response to major incidents has been improved through a process of conceptual validation, and how the ABM's software implementation has been improved through a process of operational validation. Validating the authors' ABM and its implementation contributes towards the long term goal of agent-based modelling and simulation being accepted by emergency planning officers as a means of performing emergency exercises thus playing a useful role in emergency preparedness. Both conceptual and operational validation led to the identification of potential improvements, which when implemented resulted in the authors' ABM software simulating the response to major incidents in the UK more realistically than was possible previously.

The use of chatbots as supportive agents for people seeking help for drug and alcohol addiction: A systematic review. (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Ogilvie ◽  
Jerome Carson ◽  
Julie Prescott
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
The Body ◽  
Alcohol Addiction ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Qualitative Work ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Drug And Alcohol

BACKGROUND The use of chatbots in healthcare is an area of study receiving increased academic interest. As the knowledge base grows, the granularity in the level of research is being refined, seeing more targeted work in specific areas of healthcare, for example, chatbots for anxiety and depression, cancer care, and pregnancy support. This paper focuses on the targeted application of chatbots in drug and alcohol addiction. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to systematically review and summarise the research conducted on the use of chatbots in the field of addiction, specifically the use of chatbots as supportive agents for those who suffer from drug and alcohol addiction. METHODS A systematic search of bibliographic databases using the broad search criteria of “chatbot and addiction,” identified papers for screening. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool were used, which resulted in the quality assessment and review of 5 papers. RESULTS Although the body of research in this field is limited, what has been published shows promising results. A combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies were reviewed, among which statistically significant findings were reported on the efficacy of chatbots targeted at drug and alcohol addiction. These findings were also substantiated in the qualitative work reviewed. A strong message of caution was conveyed however on the ethical implications of using chatbots to afford support to addicted individuals. CONCLUSIONS The literature reviewed shows that more work is needed to appreciate solutions that leverage existing data, such as big data available from social media, or that which is accessed by prevalent market leading chatbots. It also highlighted ethical concerns over the use of a non-human agent to afford support to those with drug and alcohol addiction. It was reported however, that statistically significant results were returned for ‘bespoke’ chatbots in this area of healthcare, setting a promising foundation for future work.

scholarly journals Investigating SARS-CoV-2 surface and air contamination in an acute healthcare setting during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in London

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Zhou ◽  
Jonathan A. Otter ◽  
James R. Price ◽  
Cristina Cimpeanu ◽  
Danel Meno Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Air Samples ◽  
Air Contamination ◽  
Viral Culture ◽  
Air Sampler ◽  
Surface Samples ◽  
Acute Healthcare

ABSTRACTBackgroundEvaluation of SARS-CoV-2 surface and air contamination during the COVID-19 pandemic in London.MethodsWe performed this prospective cross-sectional observational study in a multi-site London hospital. Air and surface samples were collected from seven clinical areas, occupied by patients with COVID-19, and a public area of the hospital. Three or four 1.0 m3 air samples were collected in each area using an active air sampler. Surface samples were collected by swabbing items in the immediate vicinity of each air sample. SARS-CoV-2 was detected by RT-qPCR and viral culture; the limit of detection for culturing SARS-CoV-2 from surfaces was determined.ResultsViral RNA was detected on 114/218 (52.3%) of surfaces and 14/31 (38.7%) air samples but no virus was cultured. The proportion of surface samples contaminated with viral RNA varied by item sampled and by clinical area. Viral RNA was detected on surfaces i and in air in public areas of the hospital but was more likely to be found in areas immediately occupied by COVID-19 patients than in other areas (67/105 (63.8%) vs. 29/64 (45.3%) (odds ratio 0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.2-0.9, p=0.025, Chi squared test)). The high PCR Ct value for all samples (>30) indicated that the virus would not be culturable.ConclusionsOur findings of extensive viral RNA contamination of surfaces and air across a range of acute healthcare settings in the absence of cultured virus underlines the potential risk from environmental contamination in managing COVID-19, and the need for effective use of PPE, physical distancing, and hand/surface hygiene.

Training for Sustained Performance: Moving Toward Long-Term Musician Development

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Clark ◽  
Tânia Lisboa
Keyword(s):  
Performing Arts ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Young Student ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Sustained Performance ◽  
Mental Demands ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Effective Use

Success in the performing arts, like sports, is dependent upon the acquisition and consistent use of a diverse range of skills. In sports, an understanding of safe and effective use of the body is required to facilitate long-term involvement in that activity. In order to assist athletes to attain their performance goals, and ensure healthy and sustained involvement, long-term athlete development (LTAD) models have been devised and adapted by professional sporting bodies throughout the world. LTAD models emphasize the intellectual, emotional, and social development of the athlete, encourage long-term participation in physical activities, and enable participants to improve their overall health and well-being and increase their life-long participation in physical activity. At present there is no such long-term development model for musicians. Yet musicians must cope with a multitude of career-related physical and mental demands, and performance-related injuries and career burnout are rife within the profession. Despite this, musicians’ training rarely addresses such issues and musicians are left largely to learn about them through either chance or accrued experience. This paper discusses key concepts and recommendations in LTAD models, together with music-specific research highlighting the need for the development of a comprehensive long-term approach to musicians’ training. The results of a survey of existing music training programs are compared to recommendations and the different development stages in LTAD models. Finally, implementation science is introduced as a methodological option for identifying how best to communicate the body of evidence-based knowledge concerning healthy and effective music-making to young student musicians.

Impact of Employees' Empowerment on Perceived Quality of Service Delivery in the Tertiary Health Institutions

2021 ◽  
pp. 2014-2030
Author(s):  
Michael Abayomi Fowowe ◽  
Kayode K. Arogundade
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Quality Of Service ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Perceived Quality ◽  
Health Institutions ◽  
Market Needs ◽  
Acute Healthcare

In this current 21st-century global competitive market, employee empowerment plays a significant role in building the internal resource-based capacity of business survival towards meeting and exceeding ever-increasing market needs. The tertiary health institutions saddled with the responsibility of providing acute healthcare services significantly require effective commitment of their healthcare workers in promoting quality of service delivery towards achieving result-oriented healthcare quality assurance outcome. However, the Nigerian health sector has been characterised with diverse challenges in sustaining quality assurance due to lack of leadership commitment in empowering caregivers in the sector effectively. To a large extent, this has weakened the adequate performance of employees, and also, contributed to the observed increase in morbidity and mortality rate in the Nigerian health centres. This aim of this paper is to critically analyse the impact of employees' empowerment on the perceived quality of service delivery in the context of the Nigerian healthcare institutions.

Teamwork

2018 ◽  
pp. 587-594
Author(s):  
Maria Flynn ◽  
Dave Mercer
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Setting ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Illness Episode ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Effective Organization

The importance of teamworking has been long established in healthcare, with nurses working both as part of a nursing team and as members of the wider multidisciplinary team. The effective organization and delivery of healthcare services depends upon a wide range of health professionals, patients, families, and carers working together to achieve the best health outcomes and quality of life. Whether healthcare is necessary for an acute illness episode, helping someone with a long-term health condition achieve an acceptable level of function, or supporting a person who is dying, placing people at the centre of care decisions demands effective teamworking. Understanding the nature and characteristics of teams can help nurses to work effectively and uphold professional caring values when working with people in any healthcare setting. This chapter outlines the key definitions and characteristics of teamworking.

scholarly journals A Surprise Mass Casualty Incident Simulation: Does It Improve Knowledge or Is It Just a Bit of Fun?

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s18-s19
Author(s):  
Brad Mitchell ◽  
Karen Hammad ◽  
Dana Aldwin
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Mass Casualty Incident ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Major Incident ◽  
Likert Scales ◽  
The Past ◽  
Emergency Department Nurses ◽  
Major Incidents ◽  
Simulation Scenario

Introduction:We opened a national conference in Australia with a surprise mass casualty simulation scenario of a van versus multiple persons outside the conference venue. The purpose of this exercise was to increase awareness of, and preparation for, mass casualty incident (MCI) events for the conference delegates who were paramedics, emergency department nurses, and doctors.Aim:The aim of the research is to understand whether a surprise MCI simulation is a useful way to increase knowledge and motivate preparedness.Methods:A survey hosted on Qualtrics was circulated to delegates via email. The survey was designed by the research team and had 38 questions about demographics and respondents’ experience with MCIs, as well as their perceptions of the simulation exercise. The questions were a mixture of 5-point Likert scales, multiple choice, and short answers.Results:The majority of respondents were clinicians (n = 66, 76%) and those who worked in emergency departments or the prehospital setting (n = 75, 86%). While the majority had not responded to an MCI in the past 5 years (n = 67, 77%), more than half (n = 50, 57%) had undertaken MCI training during this time. Overall, a vast majority of respondents found the simulation to be a worthwhile exercise that increased knowledge and preparedness. An overwhelming majority also reported that the simulation was relevant to practice, of high quality, and a useful way to teach about major incidents.Discussion:Our surprise major incident simulation was a fun and effective way to raise awareness and increase knowledge in prehospital and emergency department clinicians about MCI response. This approach to simulation can be easily replicated at relatively low cost and is, therefore, a useful solution to training a group of multidisciplinary health professionals outside of the workplace.

Course in Prehospital Major Incidents Management for Health Care Providers in Saudi Arabia

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 587-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nidaa A. Bajow ◽  
Wajdan I. AlAssaf ◽  
Ameera A. Cluntun
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Wilcoxon Test ◽  
Major Incident ◽  
Incident Management ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Major Incidents

AbstractIntroductionUnacceptable practices of health care providers during disasters have been observed because they work outside the scope of their daily practices and have inadequate training. A greater need for the involvement of health professionals in disaster management has been noted in Saudi Arabia. This study evaluates the efficacy of a training course in prehospital major incident management for health care providers in Saudi Arabia.MethodsAn interactive course for general principles in prehospital major incident management was developed with domains and core competencies. The course was designed according to the local context and was based on international standards. It was piloted over four days at the Officers Club of the Ministry of Interior (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) and was sponsored by Mohammed Bin Naif Medical Center, King Fahd Security College in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The participants (n=29) were from different disciplines from main government health facilities in Riyadh. They completed a pre-test and a post-test.ResultsThe overall score was 55.1% on the pre-test and 68.4% on the post-test (Wilcoxon test for paired samples, P <.05). Three out of the four domains had significant difference between pre- and post-test results, as well as the overall total knowledge.Conclusion:Conducting inter-disciplinary and competency-based disaster medicine courses for health care providers can augment appropriate disaster preparedness for major incidents in Saudi Arabia.BajowNA,AlAssafWI,CluntunAA.Course in prehospital major incidents management for health care providers in Saudi Arabia.Prehosp Disaster Med.2018;33(6):587–595.

An Introduction to Major Incident Management

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Greaves ◽  
Paul Hunt
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Services ◽  
Major Incident ◽  
Incident Management ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Communication Assessment ◽  
Major Incidents ◽  
And Control ◽  
Structured Approach ◽  
Mass Fatalities

Chapter 1 covers information on what a major incident is, definitions and classifications including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN), special arrangements, historical and recent major incidents, mass fatalities, the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, nomenclature, and the Joint Emergency Services Inter-operability Programme (JESIP). The phases and objectives of a response to a major incident are described. This chapter also outlines the generic structured approach including command and control, safety (including zones and cordons), communication, assessment, triage and categorization systems, casualty treatment, roles and responsibilities, and casualty transportation.

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