When Disaster Strikes: Dealing with the Unexpected

When Disaster Strikes: Dealing with the Unexpected

What happens when another day on the job is not just another day? While no two days are ever exactly the same for an HTM professional, what do you do when life throws you a curve ball? What do you do when you are removed from your comfort zone; when a disaster or tragedy strikes and you need to step up and handle the unexpected? There are those who have gone before you. Their story is one of resolve, learning on the fly, resourcefulness and courage.

Working on a device may come with its own level of stress when the problem is not apparent or there is an urgent need for the device, but that is all in a day’s work for HTM professionals everywhere. Add to that stress the dangers of a tornado, hurricane or terrorist attack, and you have the makings for a very bad day.

The emotions of a typical day on the job might include frustration, accomplishment, joy or slight anxiety. But, what happens when those emotions include fear, uncertainty or even terror? This is important information we hope you will never need. Making it through the disaster often brings with it major challenges. It also brings lessons learned.

The Sudden Terror

The nation saw the wasteland left by an EF-5 tornado in Moore, Okla., in May of 2013. The travails of the Norman Regional Health System’s clinical engineering department were covered in a TechNation profile in April of last year. The Moore Medical Center, part of Norman Regional, was heavily damaged by the twister. In the days and months after the disaster, the department’s manager, Rich Dubord, extracted some wisdom from the experience.

“The first order of business should be the safety of the HCT (Health Care Technology) staff and their families, as well as your own. Have daily huddles with HCT staff to communicate individual/family needs. Once you have established a ‘baseline,’ follow your facility’s disaster plan,” he says.

“Communicate status with frequent updates to your facility leadership team. Develop a ‘team atmosphere’ within your department and those whom you serve. Stay focused on the task at hand, and have faith that you and your team will overcome,” Dubord suggests.

One of the department’s biomeds was actually in the Moore Medical Center when the tornado hit. The same biomed’s home had extensive damage, as did the homes of two other members of the department.

Apart from the advice about dealing with the emotional toll of disaster, Dubord also learned first-hand about the other big challenge; damaged and displaced equipment. With first-hand knowledge, he lays out a rational blueprint.

“Assess the damage; develop a ‘triage’ plan,” he says. “If your HCT department is overwhelmed, do not hesitate to reach out for assistance. In a disaster situation, people are always willing to help, especially fellow BMETs.”

“Having an accurate inventory by department is extremely important in the aftermath of a disaster. Take lots of pictures of the damaged equipment, note location and damage. If possible or necessary, move equipment to a secure area such as a warehouse that is well ventilated, with AC/heat [and] utilities,” he says.

“Develop a plan to go through all of the equipment. Sort it into categories such as ‘salvage,’ ‘repairable’ and ‘return to service.’ The use of tags with colored dots, representing each of the categories, such as red for salvage, yellow for repairable [and] green for return to service, is very useful,” he adds.

Dubord also suggests developing a relationship and partnering with your facilities insurance adjuster.

“Set up a simple ‘disaster’ filing system to capture the results of the work performed — disinfecting, testing, electrical safety — on each piece of equipment. Work with your facility’s Materials Management department to obtain replacement cost quotes for equipment,” he says.

The experience brought about an even greater emphasis on safety and awareness says Dubord. It has also produced some shared goals for everyone affected.

“The employees and community have bonded together in support of building the new hospital and everyone is excited,” Dubord shares. “Local support for the 270 hospital employees that were directly impacted has been overwhelming.”

“A temporary ED has been built to support the needs of the community. Construction has begun on a new permanent facility with a scheduled opening in mid-2016,” he continues. “Everyone is excited and looking forward to the rebuilding and a new beginning.”

Click here to read the entire article on TechNation.