Safety and Emergency Procedures
What you must understand
Safety is prevention first: bed in the lowest position, wheels locked, call light and water within reach, side rails used only as ordered, non-skid footwear, clear path to the bathroom, adequate lighting, and answering calls promptly. Know which residents are fall risks and check on them often.
Fire response follows RACE: Rescue anyone in immediate danger, Alarm (pull the alarm, call the switchboard), Confine (close doors and windows), Evacuate or extinguish. Extinguisher use is PASS: Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze, Sweep. Never use elevators during a fire.
If a resident falls, do not move them or try to lift them alone. Stay with them, call for help, check for injury, keep them warm and comfortable, and let the nurse assess. Report and document objectively; incident reports are completed per facility policy and are not written in the nurse's note as blame.
Seizures: protect the head, move hazards away, do not restrain or put anything in the mouth, time the seizure, and turn the resident to the side afterward. Choking: encourage coughing if they can, and if the airway is fully blocked use abdominal thrusts; never do blind finger sweeps. Oxygen safety means no smoking, no petroleum products, and no frayed cords.
Traps the exam sets
- "Put out the fire first" - rescue comes before extinguishing.
- Leaving a resident alone to go find help instead of using the call system or calling out.
- Lifting a fallen resident by yourself, or moving them before the nurse assesses.
- Putting an object in a seizing resident's mouth.
Rule of thumb
In any emergency, call for help first and never leave the resident alone. Worked example: you find Mr. B on the floor beside his bed. You do not lift him; you press the call light, stay with him, ask what hurts, cover him with a blanket, and report to the nurse.