Emergency Scenarios

Vital observations were carried out efficiently, they were recorded every 15 minutes and a cardiac monitor was attached to continuously monitor for any deterioration. As a student nurse I assisted by recording vital observations using NEWS and assessing consciousness by using the Glasgow coma scale to ensure there were no signs of brain trauma (Le Roux, Levine and Kofke, 2013). In line with the NMC, my mentor supervised and countersigned my observations (NMC, 2011b). I promoted good patient safety as deterioration would be recognised early and appropriate care provided. Throughout the treatment process I witnessed and provided person centred care. Nursing and medical staff continuously checked patient comfort and obtained consent for treatment being provided.

I currently volunteer at the McMaster blood clinic and I once encountered a situation where I had to think on my feet. It was my first day and my supervisor was showing me around the clinic. After a while, he left to hand out brochures to promote the clinic and left me in charge. We ask donors to wait for 10-15 min after donating blood so they can grabs snacks and drinks before they leave. As one of the donors was walking towards the waiting area, he suddenly collapsed and went unconscious. I tried to prevent the fall by grabbing his arm. This situation required me to recall emergency protocols and immediately apply them to ensure safety of the donor. My first approach was to yell 'ICE' in order to alert the nurses about the collapsed donor.

As staff was quickly working to connect the patient to the monitor, obtain IV, EKG and labs the physician was assessing the patient. Shortly after we began our routine process of treatment for this patient he became unresponsive and pulse was lost. Since everyone was already in the room we were able to begin CPR immediately and obtain a pulse within 2 minutes. The gentleman was then rushed to the cath lab where they were able to perform interventions and open up the blocked arteries.

The Cardiac Catheterization Lab is a highly specialized area of work, and therefore does require some specialized training for its nurses. Among the requirements include a background in intensive care nursing and having Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification. Some nurses were also Cardiovascular Nurse-Board Certified, and had X-ray training and licensure. Because it can be a very high intensity area, the VA does not accept new graduates to the Cath Lab. With its intensity, I inquired of several nurses what techniques they utilize to cope with traumatic events. Sara discussed how much she relies on her fellow coworkers in emergent events to step up and be willing to jump in and assist as needed. She also mentioned how each nurse attends a biweekly meeting with several other staff members to discuss any major successes or errors which have occurred. Sara explained this time as an excellent learning opportunity, as well as an outlet when each person on the team can share their thoughts.

The first officers arriving on the scene will remain and continue to provide law enforcement duties and assist at the direction of the incident commander. In the emergency response procedures the fundamental priorities for officers include

The emergency operations plan will assign specific city agencies within the jurisdiction orders and responsibilities they must take on during an emergency. Each of their tasks will be clearly explained and will be assigned to that specific department or agency so they will have the capability to perform them accordingly. As well as the type of assistance will be needed from the state, North Carolina, surrounding countries, federal government, and private entities. The emergency operations plan will include and prepare the cities agencies and departments that will be needed in an emergency crisis. Homeland Security, law enforcement agencies, the fire department, emergency medical services agencies, and hospitals will be the main agencies and departments on scene, each

As I walked toward the bright red sign that flashed emergency, I had no idea that I was about to witness the fragility of life. About a half an hour after my clinical shift began the rapid response alarm blared through the emergency room speakers. I was excited. In my previous shifts I had worked with the rapid response team. During rapid responses more extensive medical procedures are performed, and as a student I got to see and do a lot more. Once I reached the recess room, most of the team was already there preparing for the arrival of the patient. “It’s a STEMI” announced one of the nurses who was on the phone with firefighter’s that were bringing him in. After she announced this fright ran through my veins. I had never seen someone who

Because the Great Depression caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs, their life savings, and/or their homes, these citizens were now dependent on the government to provide them relief money in order to survive. Though previous government relief efforts were attempted, most were stalled or failed due to the political wrangling. Roosevelt knew that he needed someone to spearhead the government’s relief effort with action rather than getting caught up in the politics. While governor for New York, Roosevelt became friends with Harry Hopkins, New York State Temporary Emergency Relief Administration’s president and executive director. Hopkins went on to serve as the chief advisor for Roosevelt during the entire length of Roosevelt’s administration,

Communication is widely regarded as one of the most essential elements in successfully managing an emergency situation. The dissemination of information, which is both timely as well as accurate, to the parties concerned goes a long way to lend a hand in ensuring that the recovery activities in an emergency situation, together with its management takes place effectively. For that reason, five critical assumptions are used to provide the basis of disaster management strategy.

This plan, which is updated every five years, provides County officials and emergency responders with a framework for preparing for, responding to, and recovering from major emergencies and disasters. When the plan is activated, emergency response agencies are integrated into a common emergency management organization.

My supervisor, one of the head nurses, hurriedly pulled me to the corner of the bleach white hospital room and directed me to put on gloves, an eye mask, and a face mask. I felt as if I was preparing for war as I put on all of the required gear. The sound of expensive shoes click-clacked down the hallway indicating the arrival of two doctors who rushed into the room and shouted out orders to the staff while pulling the doors to the room shut along with the curtains. Two doctors, eight nurses, an intern, and a dying patient squeezed into the already claustrophobic ten by fifteen-foot room. The machine monitoring the patient’s vital signs continued to beep incessantly as my heart rate accelerated. Throughout my internship, I had never seen a patient in critical condition until that moment. I remembered my teacher’s advice if we were ever in a situation such as this: take a few deep breaths and sit down if you feel like you’re going to pass out. In that

The purpose of this journal is to reflect on my experience and skills gained during my clinical placement at Ben Taub Hospital. On my first clinical day, I was excited and nervous at the same time. My first placement was in the PREOP/PACU area. I was assigned to help a patient who had been in the PACU area going on 2 days. Normally, once the patient comes from surgery they are only in the PACU area for a short period of time before they are discharged home or given a bed in another area of the hospital. This particular patient still had not received an assignment for a bed. The physicians would make their rounds to come check on him daily. The patient was a 28-year-old Hispanic male, non-English speaking, he had a hemicolectomy. He had a NG tube, urinary Foley catheter, and a wound vac. My preceptor had just clocked in and she needed to check on the patient’s vitals and notes from the previous nurse. Once she introduced me to the patient and explained while I was there, she then asked me to check his vitals. (Vital signs indicate the body’s ability to regulate body temperature, maintain blood flow, and oxygenate body tissues. Vital signs are important indicators of a client’s overall health status (Hogan, 2014). I froze for a quick second. I have practiced taking vitals numerous of times and I knew I could do it correctly. I started with the temperature first, when I was quickly corrected on a major mistake I had made by my preceptor. I HAD FORGOT TO WASH MY HANDS and PUT

As a first year student I was assigned to take a patients vital sighs while my peer videoed it. Throughout the video blood pressure, pulse, respirations, and temperature was recorded to check if everything was in normal range, while ensuring a comfortable environment, and communicating with the patient to build trust and confidence in my ability to make an accurate assessment and judgement

Several of the roles which I observed this morning were expected: the nurses took vitals for incoming patients, performed focused assessments, and were the main communicators between family, the patient, and the physician. I realized when the first patient came in around 10:00 am, the RN’s role in assessments, gathering blood work, and carrying out all the necessary steps to situate and stabilize the patient as soon as possible. It was incredible seeing the nurses work together, in sync, in those first moments when the patient was brought in. And though expected, I appreciated seeing just how much communication was held and information was gathered from the patient or family members by the nurse. Jessica asked the right questions from both parties, while still showing incredible empathy and not making the whole situation seem rushed and flustering. I understood this as another essential role of the nurse in the ED; he or she must maintain even in such a fast-paced environment empathy and focus in each interaction.

The case that I have chosen to reflect on was a patient that was already staying on a ward within the hospital, the patient was rushed to the emergency theatre late at night from the ward with a suspected internal bleed, the cause and exact location of the bleed was unknown, the patient presented a complex case for the theatre staff as the patient 's condition was largely unpredictable along with the amount of blood loss that the patient could lose. My role within the theatre team was on the anaesthetic side, I was supported by my mentor who I feel I have learned a vast amount of