Equip an Emergency Department for Decontamination
Adapted from Dainiak N et al. Development of a statewide hospital plan for radiologic emergencies. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006 May 1;65(1):16-24. [PubMed Citation]
- Special equipment used for the care of contaminated patients beyond the scope of the usual emergency department inventory should be kept in a storage area (i.e., cabinet) marked "Hazardous Materials Equipment."
- Adequate supplies should be stored to manage a "large disaster", with sufficient supplies to protect and assist all the personnel who are expected to participate.
- This area should be located within close proximity of the emergency department.
- The key for entering this area should be held in a secure location. An inventory list should be placed inside the cabinet. The appropriate staff person in the ED and the radiation safety team should know where this is.
- All monitoring equipment and radiation signs should be inspected and inventoried annually.
Suggested Supply List for Decontamination of Victims in the Emergency Department
| Category |
Supplies |
|---|
| Clothing |
Complete protective clothing for each member of the decontamination team:
- Tyvek® coveralls
- Surgical gloves
- Shoe coverings
- Surgical masks
- Surgical caps
|
|---|
| Detection equipment |
- Personnel dosimeters (pocket ionization type)
- Thermoluminiscent dosimeters
- Film badges
- Geiger-Mueller meters (2) - Ludlum Model #5 with pancake probe (stored in nuclear medicine department)
|
|---|
| Decontamination equipment |
- Cotton applicators
- Large plastic bags (collection of clothes)
- Adhesive tape and labels
- Large towels
- Soft scrub brushes
- Plastic sheets
- General cleansing agents: chlorine bleach, radiac wash (not to be used for patient
decontamination), soap
- Radiation warning signs
- Copy of radiation accident standard protocol
- Assorted pens
- Specimen bottles (with and without heparin and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid)
- Kitty litter
- Emesis basins
- Fifty (50) feet of rope
- Plastic tarpaulin or other plastic coverings for the floor
|
|---|
See also: Patient Decontamination: Recommendations for Hospitals (PDF - 124 K) (The Hospital and Healthcare System Disaster Interest Group and the California Emergency Medical Services Authority, July 2005, EMSA #233, Radiological Contamination, pages 11-16)
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