2011 Nursing Annual Report - FINAL.pub - South Shore Hospital

ImprovementsEMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DRILLS AT SSHDuring 2011, colleagues had the opportunity to participatein a series of hospital incident commandtraining series on evacuation. South Shore Hospital’sIncident Command (HICS) training series thisyear included four sessions for leaders and staff tolearn and practice activities in the emergency operationscenter during a disaster. Sessions were heldfor the command staff, operations, planning, logistics,and finance sections, with the focus on facilitydisasters that would impact operations and potentiallyforce us to evacuate.In addition to HICS training, SSH colleagues participatedin several emergency preparedness drills in2011 including:CODE PINK / INFANT OR CHILD ABDUCTIONcourse of the exercise. As the building was lockeddown and witnesses provided information to Securitypersonnel, they were able to quickly apprehendthe suspect in the parking garage.REGIONAL EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DRILLLast June, 30 South Shore Hospital leaders participatedin a two‐hour regional emergency preparednessfunctional exercise in conjunction with the HarvardSchool for Public Health’s Center for PublicHealth Preparedness. This functional exercise allowedthe 14 hospitals within the MassachusettsPreparedness Region 4AB to practice activities relatedto cross‐agency coordination and activation ofa memorandum of understanding (MOU) during aregional public health emergency scenario.In March, SSH conducted a “Code Pink”, or infant/child abduction exercise, with the Weymouth PoliceDepartment to test our emergency preparednessplan and security procedures that are in place forthis type of event. During "Code Pink" all departmentsmonitor stairwells, entrances and elevators,and the Security and Public Safety Department“locks down” all entrances and parking lot exits.Areas of improvement to the plan and procedurewere identified.The scenario involved a female patient carrying an“infant” in a carrier, who was being held in the hallwayof the Emergency Department, and an unidentifiedperson who abducted the child during theCODE YELLOW & CODE EXTERNAL DISASTERIn September, South Shore Hospital participated ina town‐wide emergency preparedness exercisealong with several community partners, includingthe Weymouth fire, police, emergency management,and public works departments, as well asFallon Ambulance. The simulated scenario involveda chlorine tank that ruptured at the local watertreatment facility, exposing employees and a groupof visitors to a dangerous chemical. The purpose ofthis exercise was to evaluate the town‐wide responseto a hazardous material event and masscasualty incident, with each town entity having itsown objectives and agenda in the exercise.60