Public Health Emergency Preparedness
This resource was part of AHRQ's Public Health Emergency Preparedness program, which was discontinued on June 30, 2011, in a realignment of Federal efforts.
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Abstract
Introduction
Hospitals must be prepared to respond to natural and manmade
mass casualty incidents that may cause sudden demand on services. One of the
foci of hospital disaster planning has been the use of drills to train employees
in and to test aspects of hospital response. The purpose of this document is
to present an approach to the evaluation of hospital disaster drills that consists
of a series of evaluation modules and addendums. The value of the approach is
to identify specific weaknesses that can be targeted for improvement and to
promote continuing efforts to strengthen hospital disaster preparedness.
Development of the Evaluation Modules
The Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center
(EPC) used sources from the literature and current practice to design evaluation
modules and associated addenda. The evaluation modules and addenda were designed
to facilitate assessment of disaster response activity through documentation
by trained observers in identifiable functional and geographic zones. The EPC
piloted the modules in two multi-hospital regional disaster drills in the summer
of 2003.
Content of the Evaluation Modules and Addenda
The evaluation approach includes modules for assessing the
incident command, decontamination, triage, and treatment zones during a hospital
disaster drill. The zone modules have items on time points, zone description,
personnel, zone operations, communications, information flow, security, victim
documentation and tracking, victim flow, personal protective equipment and safety,
equipment and supplies, rotation of staff, and zone disruption. The approach
also includes a module for pre-drill assessment, a module for debriefing, and
addenda for biological incidents, radiation incidents, general observation and
documentation, and victim tracking. This document provides detailed instructions
on how to use the modules and addenda when planning and executing the evaluation
of hospital disaster drills.
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