Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP
Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare
Emergency preparedness plans capture a nursing home’s approach to meeting the health, safety, and security needs of staff and residents during an emergency or disaster. The written emergency preparedness plan should be a comprehensive plan that includes a risk assessment based on an all-hazards approach, a communication plan, an emerging infectious diseases component, a training and testing program, and policies and procedures based on each section of the plan. Your facility’s infection preventionist should be included in the planning, development, and revising of the emergency preparedness plan. Facilities should conduct annual and as-needed reviews of these documents to keep the content current and provide training to staff annually. This AHRQ resource (May 2022) provides guidance on the critical components of a nursing home’s emergency preparedness plan but does not supersede or override any regulatory requirements.
The 2-page resource addresses:
- Risk assessment
- Comprehensive plan
- Communication plan
- Emerging infectious disease component
- Many additional resources
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