EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Prepared for the Worst

When emergency situations happen—nothing beats being prepared

BY LINDSEY GETZ

When Dale Thompson, licensed optician and owner of Precise Eyewear Frame Repair in Cincinnati, witnessed a customer having a heart attack, he sprang into action. Thompson called 911 and began what he remembered from a CPR class taken in 1987.

“I was a little rusty with it, but I knew the gist of what to do,” he says.

It was enough to keep the man in a state where he could be revived by the EMTs. After two weeks in ICU, the customer made a complete recovery.

This story had a happy ending, but it’s also a good reminder that being prepared for an emergency is critical in any practice.

HAVE A PLAN

“Any workplace, whether it is an ophthalmology office, an eyecare lab, or a frame repair shop, absolutely needs to have some basic emergency preparedness components in place,” says Jonathan Epstein, senior director of science and content development for the American Red Cross. “The most important thing is to have a plan. When an emergency happens, everyone needs to know what to do.”



KNOW who to call. The obvious answer is 911, but an office may need to access an outside line first (such as dialing 9 to get out, then 911) or may need to first inform security, who will call 911. In order to be efficient, the exact course of action should be known up front.



KNOW where the First Aid kit is located. This kit should be fully stocked and maintained. “A stash of Band-Aids is not enough,” Epstein says. “It should be someone’s job to regularly check the First Aid kit and keep supplies replenished.”



KNOW the emergency plan. Everyone in the office needs to be educated on the emergency plan, AND it should be in writing. Consider posting it somewhere that is easy to access when needed. “Research shows that a checklist style or flow chart style plan is most effective,” Epstein says. But keep it brief: “Simplify your plan enough that it can be posted and read quickly. Having a 30-page, single-spaced emergency plan isn’t going to do anybody any good when it’s time to take quick action.”



The Red Cross also offers apps that could be used quickly if needed in an emergency, including a step-by-step CPR guide.

TRAINED & READY

Of course training is also critical. All workplaces should have at least a few individuals trained in First Aid, CPR, and basic automated external defibrillator (AED) use. But in a medical office like an eyecare practice, Epstein says ALL personnel should be trained. He says that the public expectation for any type of medical institution, even outside of a hospital, is that the practice is prepared for emergencies. That includes the front desk staff.



“First Aid and CPR are the most common baseline training, and all staff should have those basic skills,” Epstein advises. “From there, CPR training goes more in-depth for professional healthcare providers, and it’s really up to the head of the office which staff members should have that more advanced training.”



While there are a number of online CPR training programs, Epstein says that an office should receive hands-on training with an instructor, as it is most effective to practice those skills in person. In fact, most insurers will not accept online training for reimbursement. Basic First Aid skills and other foundational knowledge can effectively be taught online and the Red Cross does offer “blended learning” which combines online teaching with a physical classroom component for CPR.



“It is important that people are also getting the First Aid training,” Epstein says. “Probably 95% of emergencies that occur every day are going to be covered in a First Aid course. That includes things like seizures, falls, or strokes. Cardiac arrest will be covered in CPR training. It’s really important to have both.”

STAYING FRESH

Although Dale Thompson was able to remember skills from a CPR class he had many years ago, he admits he was happy when the EMTs showed up. And like many others, he could have used ongoing training to better prepare him for an emergency.



“We know from the scientific evidence that CPR skills do deteriorate pretty quickly,” Epstein says. “While most course completion cards last about two years, we know there needs to be continuous learning and development in order to be most prepared. An online refresher every three to four months just to be reminded of the procedures is helpful. The Red Cross offers them for free. Then every two years the course should be repeated in full.”



Epstein says that taking the AED out every six months to make sure office staff knows how to use it is also important. Maintaining the AED should also be assigned as part of someone’s job.

LOOKING BACK

One thing that Thompson did after his emergency encounter was to reflect back on the scenario. How did it go and what could have been done differently? Epstein says this is a step that many people forget to take but it can be the best way to improve one’s emergency preparedness plan.



“The key to any plan that’s often missed is a review process,” he says. “Once you’ve had to activate your plan, go back and review it. Do a little debriefing with the staff and figure out what worked well and what didn’t. Then update your plan accordingly.”



Epstein says that things to consider include: whether training was effective, whether there were trouble spots where things were slowed down (such as the door not being wide enough for ambulance crew to fit through), and ultimately whether the plan was effective.



“After you’ve put your plan into action and the emergency has passed is the best time to decide whether it worked,” Epstein says. “Being prepared for emergencies is an ongoing and evolving process.”