Careforce Homehealth Inc.
man holding a tablet with health plan

Emergency Planning

Carers need to know how to respond to emergencies (falls, fires etc.) and help to prevent them. Having a distinct plan for emergencies is necessary.

Carers need to know how to respond to emergencies (falls, fires etc.) and help to prevent them. Having a distinct plan for emergencies is necessary. It is sometimes important that carers know:

  • (a) home appliances are in good repair;
  • (b) hazards are kept to a minimum.

Elderly persons and people with disabilities are more at risk from injuries because:

  • Living longer brings more frailty and/or cognitive impairment.
  • Illness or medications can cause dizziness and unsteadiness.
  • Decreased mobility makes for slower response times.
  • Slower response times can increase accident risks. This includes driving.
  • Safety hazards (rugs, pets etc.) exist in homes. A frail person may fall over more easily when tripped.

Emergency Guidelines

When you experience an emergency with a client, it can be stressful. However, it is important to remember that if you panic, you can put the health of your client at risk. Following the guidelines below will help you to deal with an emergency effectively: STAY CALM. You help the individual just by being calm. It can provide them with a sense of reassurance. DO NOT LEAVE the individual unless it is to call for help. Then return immediately.

If client is breathing but not responding:

  • Call for emergency assistance.
  • Place the person on their side. This helps to keep their airway open.
  • If you can't get assistance, take them to the nearest emergency center.
  • Take medicine or medicine bottles with you to the emergency room.

If client is not breathing or responding:

  • Have someone call help, or leave the individual briefly to get help.
  • Don't leave the individual alone except to call for help.
  • Begin a CPR assessment and procedure if required and do not stop until medical help has arrived.
emergency guideline clipart

Care Service Plan

Every client that you may work with should have a service plan (or care plan). This will often be drawn up by the agency or the client’s next of kin. It describes what services should be provided. The plan also lists the needs of the client and the tasks for the carer. You should be familiar with the service plan and know about the following

Risk Factors Instructions for Assisting the Client Safety Precautions

Seeking Medical Assistance

Emergency Assistance:

It is important that care workers know the phone number used to call for emergency assistance in their region. It is not always 911. It is very possible a situation may arise where the care worker must make a call for emergency assistance. Some numbers used to call for emergency assistance are: 911 (United States) and 112 (some European countries). Situations that would require a call for emergency assistance:

  • Chest pain, shortness of breath.
  • Suspected heart attack, stroke or heat stroke.
  • Non-responsiveness or confusion that is not common with the individual.
  • Individual falls and cannot get back up.
  • Safety issues, such as gas leaks or fire.

Calling For Help

Outlined below is an example of how a care worker would call for emergency assistance:

  • Stay calm, assess the client for responsiveness and ensure they are safe in the environment.
  • Call the number used for emergency assistance in your area (911; 112 etc.)
  • State the nature of the emergency in simple, straightforward language.
  • Give an accurate location of the emergency and give your name and contact details.
  • Remain on the line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up.
  • Render first aid as needed to the client.
  • Stay alert to your surroundings, staying with the client while rendering assistance.
  • Reassure and calm the client until the emergency services team arrive.

Practical Tips

Listed below are some practical tips to help you complete a successful call for emergency assistance, should it be necessary:

clipart of a woman doctor
doctor calling someone on the phone

Call from a land line. There are fewer dropped calls and some emergency systems cannot locate you if you use a mobile phone. If you have to call from a mobile phone, be sure to give an accurate location.

nurse holding a clipboard and a pen

Have someone else call if possible. Remain focused on client.

medical worker looking after the patient

Stay with the client until they are transported.

Emergency Scenarios

We will now examine two practice scenarios that will present you with an emergency situation and cause you to think of the appropriate actions to take.

Practice Scenario 1

PRACTICE SCENARIO 1:

You are at a client’s home and they become non-responsive. Upon checking, they are not breathing, no heartbeat is detected and they remain slumped over in their chair. What would you do?

Practice Scenario 2

PRACTICE SCENARIO 2:

You are assisting your client with ambulation (movement) when they trip over their dog. The client falls to the floor. The client has a lot of pain in their right hip region and are not able to get up on their own. After getting them as comfortable as you can, what do you need to do?

medical workers putting the patient into the stretcher
first aid kit clipart

Treating Common Emergencies

Introduction:

  • As a care worker, when faced with a medical emergency, it is vital you know how to react, with your client’s best interests at heart.
  • If you have first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training, you will be able to provide life-saving assistance.
  • This course examines a range of injuries and medical emergencies that you may encounter while working with a client.
  • It will provide you with a description of the symptoms of the injuries or emergencies and describe the recommended first aid techniques.

Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction to food or medicine. When someone experiences anaphylaxis, they usually go into anaphylactic shock.

  • Symptoms of anaphylactic shock include: swelling of the throat, lips and tongue; respiratory restriction; wheezing; body rash; seizure; or in a worst case, cardiac arrest.
  • The recommended action to be taken in the case of heart failure, is to begin CPR and call for emergency medical assistance.

Additional Medical Emergencies

Choking – Heimlich Maneuver

The main symptom of choking is that the individual cannot talk and cough forcefully. Do not do anything if the individual can cough forcefully. If the individual is not able to talk or cough forcefully then the Heimlich Maneuver (outlined below) should be performed:

1. If the person is sitting or standing, position yourself behind them and reach your arms around their waist. For a child, you may have to kneel.

2. Place your fist, thumb side in, just above the person's navel (belly button). Grasp the fist tightly with your other hand. Make quick, upward and inward thrusts with your fist.

3. If the person is lying on their back, straddle the person facing the head. Push your grasped fist upward and inward in a movement similar to the one above.

4. You may need to repeat the procedure several times before the object is dislodged. If repeated attempts do not free the airway, call for emergency assistance. If the person loses consciousness and suffers heart failure, start CPR.

medical workers posing outdoors

Diabetic Emergency:

The symptoms of a diabetic emergency include: hypoglycemia (low blood sugar); slurred speech; uncoordinated movement; changes in behavior; unresponsiveness. In the case of a diabetic emergency the following action should be taken:

NOTE: In the case of a diabetic emergency the following action should be taken

A. If the person is responsive give them sugar, honey, orange juice or a soft drink. Jellies are high in sugar and are useful in a diabetic emergency

B. If the person is unresponsive. squirt sugar (e.g. tube of cake decorating frosting) inside their mouth.

C. When person comes to, follow up with a protein snack.

D. Keep the person warm and comfortable.

blood sugar tester

Heat Stroke / Exhaustion

Heat stroke/exhaustion can occur when an individual has been left out in the sun for too long. To avoid the occurrence of this, ensure that the individual is always covered when out in the sun and never left there for too long. Symptoms of heat stroke/exhaustion include: warm clammy skin; sunburn; nausea; weakness; dehydration; elevated body temperature. To treat heat stroke/exhaustion, cool the individual down by giving them a cold damp towel. Provide them with fluids and salt. Ensure that your clients are covered or are wearing sun cream before spending time in the hot sunshine.

Stroke, Seizures and Fractures

Stroke:

A stroke is one of the most serious emergencies a care worker can encounter with a client. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel, which is carrying oxygen to the brain, bursts or is blocked by a clot. It is important that a stroke is recognized as soon as possible. Failure to do so can have life threatening consequences. The main symptoms of stroke include: weakness or drooping of one side of the face; slurred speech. It is important to call for emergency assistance and have the individual seen to within 2 hours of the onset of symptoms.

Fractures:

A fracture occurs when the continuity of a bone is broken. On some occasions, depending on the location of the fracture, it can be worse than a break as it may take longer to heal. A significant percentage of bone fractures occur because of high force impact or stress. However, a fracture may also be the result of some medical conditions which weaken the bones, for example osteoporosis. The main signs of a fracture are painful movement or joint deformity. In the event of a fracture, ensure that the damaged area is not moving. Then apply support under and around the affected limb with hands and/or clothing. Then call for emergency assistance. Be sure that you support and protect the area around the fracture. This will reduce further damage.

Seizures:

When an individual experiences a seizure, its duration should be timed. If it lasts more than 5 minutes the person needs medical attention. The most commonly recognised type of seizure is the convulsion. In this type of seizure, the patient loses consciousness and collapses. The loss of consciousness is followed by body stiffening for 30 to 60 seconds, then by violent jerking for 30 to 60 seconds, after which the patient goes into a deep sleep. It is important to clear the area and protect them from injury. Place them in the recovery position to ensure that their airway remains clear and open. Never restrain them or put anything in their mouth.