At our facility today, we had to call 911 for one of our members. Everything is okay and our member is doing well. However, it caused me to wonder what roles an activity staff should take during and after an emergency situation.
Every facility has a plan in place in cases of emergency, but often these plans are limited in scope to the medical side of things. This is not a bad thing, though. An emergency requires quick action, teamwork, and an understanding of chain of command; adding too many other details may get in the way, causing us to lose precious minutes that could be used to save someone’s life.
After thinking through how our staff reacted today, I wanted to share five roles that I would encourage my staff to keep in mind in case of emergency.
1. Activity staff’s role is to get a medical professional involved in an emergency immediately
I think most facilities already train their entire staff to do this. The first thing you do when someone is not responding is to (depending on your facility) call 911 and/or get your nursing staff involved (if your facility has such a staff). The important thing to know is that minutes really do make a difference in someone’s life, especially for cardiovascular emergencies. You may need to perform CPR until a medical professional arrives. Be aware that most EMS workers will want to take a moment to get their equipment ready for whatever the situation requires (AED, transportation, etc.) so expect to continue performing CPR a few minutes after they arrive. They will let you know when they are stepping in. After the medical professionals step in, leave the care in their hands unless they ask you to stay (if they’re really short-staffed they may need you to do something really easy such as applying pressure to a wound).
2. Our role is to take precautions to avoid further complications
Okay, the really scary part is over (at least for you!) but there is still a facility or program that is going to look for direction and leadership. The next step for the activity staff is to take precautions to avoid more complications. Clear the path for emergency transportation, gently close doors to rooms that you know don’t need to be open at that time so they don’t hear the scuffle, escort other residents to a safe place and start up a conversation. One thing I did today after EMS arrived was I took our biggest wanderer and asked her to sit with a volunteer that I knew she got along with really well. Usually at this time we would let her wander to the restroom or in the hall, but by assigning my volunteer to sit with her I could relax knowing that was one less possible complication that would arise. And remember, our residents and members are looking to us for direction, and if we hover around the emergency with a worried look, guess what everyone else is going to do? We can take the first step and change the scenery, mood, and be an example that the matter is out of our hands.
3. Our role is to provide a sense of normalcy
Emergencies remind us that each day is an uncertainty. We may wake up and have a heart attack or be hit by a car on the way to work. Many of our members were thrown off by the sudden emergency as it was out of the routine so many of our dementia clients knew. By making sure the emergency was out of our sight and starting a little trivia game we helped re-establish our routine and it let everyone know the uncertainty of the situation was over. Music in this situation works very well with the dementia population. Also, it might not hurt to take a walk outside if you have enough staff (but not by the EMS truck of course!) If it is appropriate for the individual you may offer them a moment to say a prayer for the situation.
4. Our role is to give honest answers
Some of your residents will have questions. Is he/she going to be okay? Are they still in there? What happened to make him/her sick? Although we may not know all the answers or be able to give them out, a concerned person always appreciates an honest answer. It is okay to tell them that so and so is going to the hospital and we’ll let them know as soon as we do when they’ll be back. You can share that the staff did everything in their power to help him or her. You can say that you don’t know the specific condition that caused the emergency, but that he or she is in the best place they can be: in the care of the medical professionals. Be aware that if someone senses you are hiding something, it will probably cause their anxiety to increase. Once again, it is bringing the uncertainty of the situation back into their mind. That is why it is important to emphasize the things you are certain of at that moment.
5. Our role is to take time to regroup and reassess
After the group is taken care of and the emergency has passed, please take some time and regroup yourself mentally. This was an emergency for you too, after all! Allow yourself a few minutes to process what happened, some people find it therapeutic to jot a few of their thoughts down about the incident. Some people will need to share their experience with one another to find comfort. If you are the activity director, let your staff know they will have a few minutes to relax and regroup before they’re expected to do anything. Also, take a little time to reassess your activity plans for the rest of the day. Your facility’s schedule may need a little adjusting. Be sensitive to those who may not be in the mood for a big dancing event. But also, remember that keeping to your schedule (with a little time flexibility) may provide the sense of normalcy everyone needs.
