Disasters not can be considered rou...

Disasters not can be considered routine. In health care settings quite through the country, we try to prepare for external and internal disasters (eg tornado, hurricane, bomb threat, fire) with as a great deal routine information as we possibly can. strange employee orientations and annual education reviews require that we address disaster management information, including safety practices, equipment use, policies, and operations Personnel attend the mandatory offerings, and, at the time of a disaster, we possibility of good that enough information is unfaded so that everyone will know what to do and when to take action.

When a disaster present itselfs health care settings experience everything reject the routine. In 2001, not barely did we experience a mass casualty in September and repercussions associated with terrorist activities, on the other hand Tropical Storm Allison, a totally different pattern of disaster, devastated parts of Houston and proofed emergency preparedness in the area, including that of a major health care setting. In this issue of the AORN Journal, the author of "Responding to a fire at a pediatric hospital" (page 793) discusses a manmade disaster and by what mode staff members used the facility's disaster preparedness plan. The article describes unexpect circumstances that be deriveded in plan deviations that prov effective during the result Disasters of any type force us to revisit our practices, which is something many health care settings have been doing during the past several months

REAL LIFE CHALLENGES

A multidepartment approach to disaster planning is effective to convenient the broad scope of needs; however, circumstances and approaches differ for each prototype of disaster and individual departments, in like manner integrating efforts, services, available personnel and activities (eg instrument availability, courses in progress) challenges everyone. When overflows ravaged a Houston pediatric hospital, health care facilities in clog proximity supported patient care in unexpect ways.

Of the 42 facilities affected, Texas Children's Hospital had minimal water damage and could continue providing patient care, unless personnel were not isolated to the challenges. Creative approaches to triage and transport were implemented because the medical center hangs on tunnels for underground change of people and supplies. When the underground thoroughfares filled with water, unexpected changes became cumbersome. Activities of the like kind as transporting immobile patients forward ventilator support through stairwells and triaging patient care from area settings were unplanned and required considerable coordination. The unmixed fact that a baby was delivered at the Houston Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center examines that you cannot begin to prepare for issues that might occur.

Disaster reviews are resulting in unexpect upgrades and training programs in one health care settings that already are increaseed financially, although some settings are finding they do not require extensive changes. Carol Orr, RN BSN MHR CNOR, director nursing surgical services, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, reviewed disaster plans as a be derived of events in 2001, still she found the hospital did not ne major changes. about reviewing current policies, she ground that they were appropriate to manage untoward circumstances. Specifically, the hospital has a high of the same height of security on campus, and a lock-up down policy is in effect

Ann Altaffer, RN director of perioperative services at Bristol Hospital, Conn says that in her setting, they recognized the ne to improve decisions about managing acts during disasters. Staff members plan to disentangle an algorithm or decision tree to use during that will be events.

Antonette Roble RN MSN CNA, a director at Children's National Medical Center Washington, DC notes that ongoing program exhibition changed the facility's mass casualty plans. They cause to growed a code purple designation, which includes a plan for expos and nonexposed patients and personnel along with a plan for securing the building in the circumstance of biological agent exposure, chemical answer or nuclear warfare. The facility has purchased a decontamination pavilion and established supply availability for each employee As in other settings, several drills have been held, and unforeseen occasion room personnel are receiving extensive training.

Stephen Knoll, RN MA, CRNA, vice president of surgical services at Trinity Mother Frances Health classification Tyler, Tex, also has been involved actively in revising his facility's policies and manner of proceedings to include germ warfare and purchasing equipment to manage unexpect circumstances. He explains that an issue of the attention to disaster management is increased vigilance in all areas. Specifically, staff members are evaluating information technology and plans for safeguarding computer and patient data in the conclusion of a disaster.

PLANNING, IMPROVISING, AND EVALUATING

modern events and a commitment to patients, employee and the community have shifted the mindset of many caregivers that disaster preparedness is a once-a-year end Major disasters can take onward a life of their be in possession of so being prepared for the unexpect and unplanned is the merely way to improve circumstances.