Medical Emergency Drill

Goal - why is this important to us?

We care about the safety of our clients and staff. In the event of a medical emergency, we want everybody to know what to do.

Ingredients - what do I need to get started?

• Phone
• Computer
• First Aid supplies (if real emergency)

Timeframe - about how long will this take?

About 5 minutes for drill. Could be longer in the event of a real emergency.

Contacts - who do I need to let know?

Complete “Emergency Drill Report” in Apricot.

If this is a REAL weather emergency, also notify your Program Coordinator and complete an Incident Report in Apricot.

Steps - what do I do?

When practicing a medical emergency drill, first talk with your coworkers about what needs to be done, and how you will decide who does what. These procedures should be followed for any medical emergency, including severe cuts or burns, heat strokes, heart attacks, and broken limbs.

1. Assess the Situation:

The first and most important step is to quickly and accurately identify what the emergency is, and what needs to happen to properly handle the emergency. In particular, staff should pay attention to, in order of importance:

• The symptoms the victim is experiencing
• Whether the environment is safe to provide aid to the person
• The location and safety of the other clients.

2. Call for Help:

If it is necessary to call for an ambulance, this must happen immediately. Tell the operator the degree of the situation. Keep in mind that the first responders may be police officers. Allow them to enter the facility; police are trained in first aid and may provide medical attention until EMS arrives. Be sure when calling 911 to give the operator any information they require and to follow any instructions they give you. Stay on the line until the operator tells you to disconnect.

Note about confidentiality- we can only disclose information specifically related to the medical emergency. Name, age, relevant medications, the symptoms that we are seeing that lead us to call for EMS, what substances the person is detoxing from (if applicable), other relevant medical conditions. And generally, we're only going to answer the questions that the EMT asks us, and they're only going to ask questions relative to the emergency.

3. Provide Assistance:

After emergency services have been called, staff should maintain the situation until EMS, police, or the fire department arrives. In particular, staff should:

• Make sure the other clients are safe, and in a location where they will not be in the way of the EMS.
• Let clients know the first responders may be the police. If they do not wish to be seen, they should leave the area.
• Provide emergency personnel with the information they request from a client’s file.
• Provide first aid, as appropriate. First aid may include moving the person into a shady or air-conditioned area, applying damps cloths or a mist of water, and helping the person to drink water, if they are able.

4. After calling emergency services and providing appropriate aid, call your supervisor to notify them about the situation and the steps being taken to handle it.

5. Complete the Emergency Drill Report on Apricot and log in daybook

6. In the event of an actual medical emergency, complete an Incident Report as well.

Remember to follow all of these steps in the event of an ACTUAL medical emergency! These guidelines apply whether the emergency happens on site OR off site.

Follow-up - what loose ends do I need to wrap up?

If this was a real emergency, be sure to clean any areas of the workplace that may have been exposed to blood or bodily fluids. SOP can be found here

Write a contact in client’s file describing injury and steps taken.

Important information about different medical emergencies:

Symptoms of heat stroke include:

Elevated body temperature, rapid heartbeat, rapid and shallow breathing, headache, dizziness or light-headedness, nausea, fainting, confusion, hot and dry skin, and inability to sweat. If an individual is experiencing these symptoms, call 911.

Burns and Cuts:

Any degree of burn or cut to the skin should be examined and treated by a medical professional as soon as possible. Burns should be treated with room temperature water to prevent further shock or injury to the skin. Bandages should be loosely applied to the skin.

Pressure should be applied to deeper cuts using a towel or washcloth to stop bleeding. Do not attempt to remove items that are punctured into the skin.

Broken Limb:

Signs of a broken limb may include bruising, discoloration, and swelling of the injury, pain or discomfort to the injured area, limited range of motion, or an inability to bear weight on the limb.

Heart Attacks:

Heart attack symptoms vary widely. For instance, you may have only minor chest discomfort while someone else has excruciating pain. Other common symptoms may include shortness of breath, elevated blood pressure, nausea, abdominal or chest pain, light-headedness of unusual fatigue.

One thing applies to everyone, though: If you suspect you're having a heart attack, call for emergency medical help immediately.