patient evacuation and mortality report

Although there are some disasters where evacuation-related deaths did not occur1, evacuation is known to be associated with increased mortality in patients and nursing facility residents2–4. Moreover, since sheltering-in-place (no evacuation) was also found to elevate mortality risk, this has added further controversy to the discussion5.

Full Answer

What are the conditions for a hospital to be evacuated?

As shown in Figure 2, the flowchart assumes that hospitals will be in one of three conditions following the event: No threat to patient/staff safety. In this situation, it is immediately clear that the hospital did not suffer any significant damage that would cause decision teams to order an evacuation.

How many hospitals were immediately evacuated after the Northridge earthquake?

Following the Northridge earthquake in California, staff at six hospitals immediately evacuated due to fears about structural damage.

What is an example of an evacuation situation?

The evacuation of major portions of Mt. Sinai (New York) hospital during a building fire in 2009 illustrates this situation. Similarly, six of eight hospitals damaged in the Northridge, California, earthquake evacuated within hours of the earthquake. 3 Potential/evolving threat to patient/staff safety.

How do you decide if an evacuation should be ordered?

A careful assessment of the factors listed in Table 4 —in particular the risks posed to the hospital's water, sewer, electricity, and heat supply, as well as the overall building integrity—is required in order to decide whether an evacuation should be ordered, or if the decision should be deferred and the situation reassessed.

What is the correct order to evacuate patients?

Patients in immediate danger should be moved first. They should follow a lead nurse into a safe area. Move patients who are closest to danger first (non-ambulatory and ambulatory). Direct ambulatory patients toward a safe area.

What type of patients should be evacuated first?

Patients in immediate danger (due to smoke or fire) shall be removed first. Ambulatory patients should be accompanied or directed to an adjacent smoke compartment. Non-Ambulatory patients should be moved using wheelchairs or stretchers when available to an adjacent smoke compartment.

What is the order of patients removed when considering evacuation?

Ambulatory patients shall be moved first, followed by less critical patients. The more critical, non- ambulatory patients (such as those in the Critical Care Unit) should be moved last. a.

What are the steps in implementing the evacuation?

Start with these 10 key steps.Acknowledge All Individuals Impacted by the Disaster. ... Establish Roles and Responsibilities for All Constituents. ... Make Provisions for Shelter-in-Place or Evacuation. ... Prioritize Fire Safety Planning. ... Safeguard IT and Cybersecurity. ... Document, Document, Document. ... Account for Employee Training.More items...

What are the 4 types of evacuation?

Four Types of EvacuationsStay in Place. The first type of evacuation is known as stay in place and is used during a chemical or biological attack. ... Building Evacuation. The second type of evacuation is a building evacuation. ... Campus Evacuation. The third type of evacuation is a campus evacuation. ... City Evacuation.

What are the 3 stages of evacuation?

If total evacuation is required in the event of a fire, vertical evacuation is a priority, then horizontal evacuation, and then complete evacuation if necessary.

What are the two main priorities when patients need to be evacuated?

In order to aid planned and emergency evacuation health organisations should consider recording patient's evacuation triage priority, the equipment required to be evacuated with the patient, the staff resources needed to evacuate the patient and the specialist drugs required for evacuation in an easily accessible ...

What are the two main priorities when evacuating patients in a fire?

Patients should be moved away from fire and smoke, initially through at least one fire door into another compartment or outside. An intermittent single tone alarm is sounded in adjacent areas. Staff in these areas should prepare for evacuation and to accept patients from adjoining areas.

What are the two types of evacuations?

Evacuations happen for many reasons but there are really only two types: urgent evacuations and planned evacuations.

What are the three 3 most important elements of an evacuation plan?

3 Steps to Create an Emergency Evacuation PlanDetermine evacuation procedures and emergency escape route assignments. ... Implement a clear chain of command and designation of the person authorized to order an evacuation. ... Create procedures to account for all employees after an emergency evacuation.

What should an evacuation plan include?

10 Essential Elements of an Emergency Evacuation PlanConditions requiring an evacuation. ... When to shelter-in-place rather than evacuate. ... A clear chain of command. ... Specific emergency evacuation plan procedures. ... Specific evacuation procedures for high-rise buildings. ... Procedures for assisting visitors and employees to evacuate.More items...

What is evacuation process?

Evacuation means exiting a facility as directly and safely as possible. Evacuation is appropriate when conditions inside a structure pose a threat to the health and safety of building occupants and leaving the facility is safer than remaining inside of it.

Why did hospitals evacuate after Hurricane Katrina?

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, hospitals in New Orleans ultimately evacuated due to loss of power, city water, civil unrest, and flooding. 6-9 Although emergency power was maintained at the VA Medical Center of New Orleans, loss of city water caused administrators to order a full evacuation.

What are post-event evacuations?

Post-event evacuations have occurred either following Advanced Warning Events (i.e., if the decision was made to shelter-in-place during the event, but subsequent damage was sufficient to necessitate evacuation) or during No Advanced Warning Events. No Advanced Warning Events include, most notably, earthquakes, building fires, tornadoes, and explosions (both accidental and terrorist acts).