Safety and Emergency Procedures
What this domain covers
Safety means anticipating harm before it happens. Most resident injuries are falls, burns, choking, or injuries linked to equipment, and most are preventable by assistive routines.
Fall prevention. Keep the bed low with wheels locked, the call light within reach, the floor clear, and needed items (water, glasses, phone) close by. Answer call lights promptly - the most common reason residents get up alone is waiting too long. Use non-skid footwear, adequate lighting, and clear pathways. After a fall, do not move the resident; check for injury, stay with them, call for help, and report - even if the resident insists nothing happened. Fill out an incident report factually; it is not part of the medical record and is not a punishment tool.
Restraints. Restraints are used only with a physician's order for a specific reason and are a last resort. Aides do not apply them independently. If restraints are in place, check circulation, skin, and comfort at least every 15 minutes, release and reposition regularly, offer fluids and toileting, and document. Never tie to side rails.
Fire and emergency. Remember RACE: Rescue anyone in immediate danger, Activate the alarm, Contain the fire by closing doors, then Evacuate or Extinguish. PASS is for using a fire extinguisher: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep. Know your facility's evacuation plan, including horizontal evacuation of non-ambulatory residents.
Choking and seizures. For an obstructed airway, encourage coughing; if the person cannot speak or breathe, call for help and begin abdominal thrusts per training. During a seizure, protect the head, move objects away, do not restrain the person or place anything in the mouth, and time the event; report it.
Rule of thumb. In any emergency: stay with the resident, call for help, and never leave the person alone unless you must go get assistance.