Emergency situations strike usually with little or no warning. Nursing home emergency procedures are important steps outlined to deal with any possible situation. Nursing homes have plans to implement, and the emergency administrator takes steps to ensure that all emergency procedures are in place. These include fire prevention techniques and other remedies for safety implemented at the nursing home facility.
Goal of Emergency Plans
The goal of emergency plan is to outline the various courses of action to be implemented in case of a disaster. The plan could also include the various steps to be followed if any pending disaster is threatening the nursing home facility. The plans are organized in stages, this means that the first priority is to safeguard and preserve lives, followed by plans to preserve property.
Considerations
Emergency procedures take into consideration the size of the nursing home and the number of residents who might be evacuated in case of a disaster. Administrators prepare their facilities for specific disasters more likely to affect their sites. For instance, nursing homes in Florida would more-heavily consider hurricanes or fires. Other considerations include transportation to move residents to safer places.
Equipment Checks
All personnel are responsible for ensuring that fire hazards are eliminated. All exit lights must be checked and must be working at all times. Other equipment such as fire extinguishers are stocked and routinely inspected. All highly combustible materials are properly stored or eliminated from the facility. Also, smoking prohibition signs must be clearly posted, and all defective electrical wiring must be fixed. Doorways and corridors must be clear of obstructions.
Disaster Drills
Nursing home disaster drills are necessary to test the proposed plan for an actual emergency. Problems encountered through the drill can be used to adjust the plans accordingly.
Evacuation Orders
Nursing homes must have an emergency administrator to implement the required procedures when an actual emergency occurs. In case of fire, the administrator would issue an evacuation order.
Tags: actual emergency, case disaster, emergency administrator, emergency procedures, home facility, Nursing home