Disaster Olympix: a unique nursing emergency preparedness exercise.
Despite increased disaster preparedness training and funding, healthcare organizations remain ill-prepared. Nontraditional approaches should be a focus of disaster training. We conducted a novel pediatric disaster exercise at a children's hospital. We designed 6 specific exercises comprising Disaster Olympix and piloted a Web-based evaluation survey of the exercise. The mean score of the participants' perception of their Disaster Olympix performance was 3.8/5. The mean score of the perception of the utility of Disaster Olympix was 4.3/5. Novel training approaches can be valuable to staff. Nonpediatric hospitals can readily adapt this approach to prepare for pediatric victims.
Department of Pediatric Surgery, and Santiago Chambers, Safety Office, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90027, USA. cgoodhue@chla.usc.edu
Catherine J
CJ
Goodhue
Rita V
RV
Burke
Santiago
S
Chambers
Rizaldy R
RR
Ferrer
Jeffrey S
JS
Upperman
D002648:Child; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation