Be On The Safe Side: Medical Emergencies

In the Event of a Medical Emergency... What Will You Do?

When you think of a medical emergency, do you automatically think "Call 911!"? Do you assess the injury, trying to determine if it is a "true" medical emergency that requires outside assistance? When a child does need immediate medical attention, do you hesitate, wondering if you should call their parents first? How do you know exactly what to do and when?

What to do in the heat of the moment is not always a simple question; therefore, DCDEE wants to assist YOU in preparing and implementing an Emergency Medical Care (EMC) Plan. Below are seven steps from our Child Care Center "Emergency Medical Care Implementation Guide" that we hope you will implement. (A similar emergency plan is also available - and required - for family child care homes.)

Step 1- Notify the person responsible for determining the degree of care needed. This person will be in charge during the emergency since the degree of care needed determines the remaining steps, including if a medical resource should be contacted and if transportation to a medical facility is needed. The staff member who notifies the person responsible for determining the degree of care should be the staff member responsible for the child at the time of the illness/injury and should remain with the child. If staff members become ill or injured themselves, the facility's EMC Plan should have an alternate person designated.

Step 2 - Determine if assistance or advice is needed from an outside resource. Call 911, a medical consultant (named in the EMC plan), and/or Carolinas Poison Center, if necessary.

Step 3 - Administer first aid and/or CPR to the ill/injured person. Follow directions from the 911 operator, the designated medical consultant, or Carolinas Poison Center, if contacted.

Step 4- Determine appropriate transportation if the person must be transported to a medical facility.

Step 5 - Notify the parent or emergency contact of the ill/injured person.

Step 6 - Determine who will accompany the ill/injured person during transport, and assure that signed authorization is carried with the person to the medical facility.

Step 7 - Obtain substitute staff.

All of this sounds simple, right? Simple steps require much planning, reviewing, and practicing, though, to be carried out easily. After all, a plan that is not reviewed and practiced is a plan that can be forgotten as staff may change and/or certifications expire, especially in stressful times. NC Child Care Rule 10 NCAC 09. 0802 requires child care centers to review their emergency medical care plan with new staff during orientation and then with all staff at least twice annually. These reviews are not a requirement to be taken lightly, they are requirements that could ultimately save a child's life.

In the past three years, NC child care facilities have reported more than 2,300 injuries that prompted medical attention, 972 of those were in the 2014-15 year. Help us help you to be ready in the event your facility has a medical emergency. Visit our website at www.ncchildcare.nc.gov, to see our newest guides and plans for child care centers and homes. Click on the Provider tab, Provider documents, then scroll through until you find the Child Care Center "Emergency Medical Care Implementation Guide" and Center "Emergency Medical Care Plan". Instructions for each form are also available to assist you with the planning and discussions that are needed to complete and adopt an effective plan. Proper planning and continuous review will ensure staff are prepared and ready for a Medical Emergency.