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Simulating a Vertical Evacuation of a NICU and PICU to Examine the Relationship Between Training and Preparedness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 August 2021

Ramon E. Gist ,
Pia Daniel ,
Nizar Tejani ,
Andrew Grock ,
Adam Aluisio ,
Stephan Kohlhoff ,
Patricia Roblin  and
Bonnie Arquilla
Ramon E. Gist*
Affiliation:
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Pia Daniel
Affiliation:
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Nizar Tejani
Affiliation:
California Northstate University College of Medicine, Elk Grove, California, USA
Andrew Grock
Affiliation:
Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
Adam Aluisio
Affiliation:
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Stephan Kohlhoff
Affiliation:
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Patricia Roblin
Affiliation:
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Bonnie Arquilla
Affiliation:
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
*
Corresponding author: Ramon E. Gist, Email: ramon.gist@downstate.edu
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Abstract

Objective:

The aim of this study was to implement pediatric vertical evacuation disaster training and evaluate its effectiveness by using a full-scale exercise to compare outcomes in trained and untrained participants.

Methods:

Various clinical and nonclinical staff in a tertiary care university hospital received pediatric vertical evacuation training sessions over a 6-wk period. The training consisted of disaster and evacuation didactics, hands-on training in use of evacuation equipment, and implementation of an evacuation toolkit. An unannounced full-scale simulated vertical evacuation of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. Drill participants completed a validated evaluation tool. Pearson chi-squared testing was used to analyze the data.

Results:

Eighty-four evaluations were received from drill participants. Forty-three (51%) of the drill participants received training and 41 (49%) did not. Staff who received pediatric evacuation training were more likely to feel prepared compared with staff who did not (odds ratio, 4.05; confidence interval: 1.05-15.62).

Conclusions:

There was a statistically significant increase in perceived preparedness among those who received training. Recently trained pediatric practitioners were able to achieve exercise objectives on par with the regularly trained emergency department staff. Pediatric disaster preparedness training may mitigate the risks associated with caring for children during disasters.

Keywords

disaster planningpediatricsintensive care unitsneonatalintensive care unitspediatrics
Type
Brief Report
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 16 , Issue 5 , October 2022 , pp. 1811 - 1813
Copyright
© Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2021

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