Healthcare Compliance Perspective – Nursing Home Evacuation:
The Compliance Officer will review with the facility’s environment or maintenance manager the policies and procedures related to the facility’s Emergency Preparedness Plan and dealing with situations like an HVAC system failure to provide a comfortable and safe temperature level. Staff should be educated at hire and periodically about the facility’s Emergency Plan. The Compliance Officer should ensure that staff conducts mock evacuation drills periodically and that the effectiveness of the drills are reviewed for improvement in the evacuation process.
Last week, residents living in a New Jersey 
nursing home experienced sweltering heat from a July heatwave where temperatures climbed to nearly 100 degrees. According to the company operating the facility, the residents were evacuated “out of an abundance of caution” by the local Fire Department when the facility’s HVAC system broke down. The Residents in the facility were taken to other centers and their families were notified about the evacuation. Staff from the facility accompanied the residents to the other centers.
The facility’s spokesperson reported that about 50 residents were evacuated and that no one was injured or became ill because of the heat or the evacuation process. The spokesperson also made this statement:
“As a skilled nursing provider, we are fully prepared for situations like these and have a thorough and effective plan for any situation in which patients require relocation.”Repairs to the system were being made.
The center is a small “for-profit,” corporately-owned facility with 62 beds participating in Medicare and Medicaid. It is not part of a continuing care retirement community that allows seniors to completely age in place by offering independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care.
