During a major earthquake, the emergency department is overwhelmed with a sudden influx of patients. What is the BEST initial action for the charge nurse to take in managing this disaster situation?
Evacuate all non-critical patients from the emergency department
Call for all available off-duty staff to report immediately
Activate the hospital's disaster plan
Begin diverting incoming ambulances to other hospitals
The correct answer is to activate the hospital's disaster plan. In a large-scale emergency like an earthquake, the most effective initial response is to implement the pre-established disaster management protocols. This ensures a coordinated and systematic approach to handling the sudden surge in patients.
Activating the disaster plan typically involves:
Alerting all necessary personnel
Establishing a command center
Implementing triage protocols
Mobilizing additional resources
While calling for additional staff is important, it's not the most comprehensive first step. Diverting ambulances might be necessary later but isn't the initial priority. Evacuating non-critical patients could be part of the disaster plan but shouldn't be done without proper assessment and coordination.
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