Department-level planning and preparedness: A toolkit to assist in full-facility hospital evacuation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25071/s7wtd248Abstract
A full-facility hospital evacuation is highly complex and disruptive to ongoing patient care. In certain emergency situations and after careful consideration and exhaustion of other options, the decision to fully evacuate a hospital facility should be made to ensure the safety of all staff, patients, and visitors. Current literature suggests that staff are unprepared for these situations due to a lack of training and experience. Authors of this paper created a departmental-level toolkit to supplement current hospital evacuation policies in order to assist clinical leaders with planning and preparedness for full-facility evacuations. With the support of evidence-based literature from various countries, this paper discusses key concerns identified in previous hospital evacuations including staff shortages, limited formal partnerships, and availability of appropriate resources. By addressing these shortcomings, the organization can develop further resilience against the negative impacts of a full-facility evacuation. Additionally, this paper outlines recommendations for training and exercises programs to further prepare the staff for full-facility evacuations. In the growing field of emergency management, the implementation of additional resources built on evidence-based research is necessary to increase hospital preparedness in the face of emergencies.
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