Week 2 blog

Training of Hospital Staff To Respond to a Mass Casualty Incident

I chose this week’s tool because of the exposure I’ve had at work to disaster preparedness. This article talks about needing to train hospital staff to respond to a mass casualty. I think this is a very important subject in the world we live in today. While right now we’re all focused on hurricanes, the day could come when there is another terrorist attack. Maybe the next one won’t be as huge as 9/11, but even a chemical or biological attack on a small scale could throw hospitals into chaos. I think it’s very appropriate that JCAHO requires disaster drills twice a year. While nothing can completely prepare hospitals for a disaster, the more the drill is practiced, the smoother things would run if it did happen. Something that really surprised me is that conference calls are an inefficient way to manage disaster response. I would have thought that it would have made things more organized to have everyone needed on the phone at the same time. Something that didn’t surprise me is that computer simulation and video demonstrations are both effective (and economical) was to improve disaster preparedness. While a community can never be prepared for a disaster, preparation and training can make the management of emergency staff much more controlled.

http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/hospmcisum.htm


Brainstorming Do's and Don'ts

This article gives great guidance to brainstorming. One really good piece of advice is to not be critical or judgmental. There’s nothing that can stifle creativity like criticism. After all, the purpose is to generate as many ideas as possible – quantity is more important than quality. Some of the best ideas can seem like the most farfetched at first.

Also, you should build off of others’ ideas. Sometimes one person’s idea may cause another idea to pop into your mind. Also, one idea alone might not be great. But, add it to others and the compilation could be wonderful.

I think one of the most important things necessary for a successful brainstorming session is for everyone to be comfortable—physically and mentally. When people feel like they are contributing, they put more effort and attention into this process.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Brainstorming-Dos-and-Donts&id=593051