The current healthcare crisis is a hot topic lately, and with the recent increase in death rates due to illness, it’s no surprise that healthcare professionals are in hot demand. But, if you’re not in a position to work in healthcare, how do you prepare for a medical emergency? The two most important things to be ready for are an accidental injury or a natural disaster, so the first step is to get training.
Emergency preparedness is a step that all healthcare providers should take. In fact, you may need emergency response training even if you are in a nursing home.
Prevent fatalities and injuries
Healthcare emergency response training is a fast-growing industry, with hospitals and trauma centres allocating more resources to training their staff in how to respond appropriately. The main purpose of emergency response training is to reduce the number of major and/or minor injuries and fatalities that occur in the wake of a disaster. Recent studies have shown that the more training a responder receives, the more effective they are at identifying and responding to life-saving situations.
Reduce damage to buildings
The number of emergency incidents that cause damage to buildings is only growing. Yet, few people realize that such incidents can lead to serious injuries or loss of life. A building can sustain severe damage in a few short minutes without any warning or adequate time for damage control.
Helps responders follow set emergency protocol
Responders have an important job to do in times of emergency: to get help to the injured as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this may not be easy if responders have not been trained to act in an efficient and automatic manner. A great way to ensure a speedy and efficient response is to train responders to follow set emergency protocol.
Trained responders are not all aware of the many things to remember when responding to an emergency in a setting such as a:
- School
- Hospital
- Nursing home
…or some other area that is well-known. Many of the protocols are set in stone and drilled into the heads of those attending the training. However, not all responders remember the most important ones, especially in an actual emergency and when the situation is chaotic.
Improve responder confidence
One of the biggest aspects of emergency response training in the public safety community is building the confidence and competence of the community. An ideal way to accomplish this is by having the responders go through a simulation exercise. This helps develop the skill sets and confidence that are needed to perform their tasks in a real life or an actual situation. Instead of a one off “set and forget” event, participants become a member of a team and take part in a drill designed to reinforce the skills they need to be successful.
Empower responders to utilise safety resources
Every day, they find themselves in a situation where they must make split-second decisions and use their training to save the life of a victim. In the midst of all this action, they are often asked to make critical decisions that can have a huge impact on the safety of their fellow responders and their patients.
Conclusion
The goal is to provide useful information that may help others to better understand the role of the healthcare professional and the emergency management profession, while also improving the public’s understanding of the critical mission of the healthcare/emergency management profession.