To paraphrase Rudyard Kipling, “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs…”
The truth is…if you do not train and prepare, you will most likely not handle a true emergency very well.
Unlike those of us who work in emergency services, most folks rarely have an opportunity to prepare for an emergency.
What is an emergency?
If you’re a healthcare provider…an emergency can be a patient care crisis such as a cardiac arrest or a difficult airway to manage. Failure to respond appropriately can lead to a poor outcome for the patient and place the provider in a negligent position.
If you’re in an industrial setting…an emergency can be an accident or a sick/injured employee. Failure to respond appropriately could lead to a greater Workers Compensation claim or open the organization up to citation and fines from OSHA, not to mention a tragic loss of life.
When cardiac arrest occurs, it is essential to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) within two minutes. After three minutes, global cerebral ischemia (the lack of blood flow to the entire brain) can lead to progressively worsening brain injury.
By nine minutes, severe and irreversible brain damage is likely. After 10 minutes, the chances of survival are low.
What about blood loss?
Each year, about 60,000 Americans die from hemorrhaging, or blood loss, a 2018 review estimates.
Bleeding to death can happen very quickly. If the hemorrhaging isn’t stopped, a person can bleed to death in just five minutes…and if their injuries are severe, this timeline may be even shorter.
Bleeding can be very hard to control if you are not prepared and trained.
How to prepare?
The simple answer is…TRAIN. It really is that simple. Learn peer reviewed procedures and practice in realistic simulations.
“You fight like you train” – General George S. Patton, Jr.
Any value-based training must include simulation of potential incidents in the work environment.
It is imperative to any healthy and professional organization to be prepared for the inevitable emergency situation.
Preparation must include proven and reliable policies and procedures to avoid confusion and potential liability.
Camden Education Unlimited is the organization to ensure your agency is well trained and prepared to properly manage emergency situations. Our faculty and staff are seasoned emergency responders and tenured educators to ensure novice providers will respond appropriately. Well trained staff will manage emergencies, not allow an emergency to impact patients, employees and operations negatively.
If you believe in being prepared and professional, contact us today, and we’ll help you achieve your goals in emergency preparedness.
Stay healthy and safe!
The Camden Crew