Could a lack of sensitivity to the traumatic impact on residents during repeated bomb threats with evacuation contribute to substandard quality of care due to an identified increased risk of death lasting as long as six months after a distressing incident? [F636 Resident Assessment; F637 Comprehensive Assessment after Significant Change; F657 Comprehensive Care Plans, F740 Behavioral Health Services, F689 Free of Accident Hazards/Supervision/Devices; and F921 Safe/Functional/Sanitary/Comfortable Environment.]
Compliance Perspective – Bomb Threats
Policies/Procedures: The Compliance and Ethics Officer, DON and the Administrator should review the facility’s Emergency Preparedness Plan to determine if it is adequate in addressing an “all hazards” approach. The Plan should include risks associated with evacuating residents requiring complex care and those with dementia/Alzheimer’s who may be particularly traumatized by repeated evacuations with no time for preparation or warning.
Training: Staff will be educated on how to facilitate rapid evacuation of residents with severe illnesses and those with diminished capacity in order to reduce trauma and prevent death or injury. Training will involve elevating observations of especially vulnerable residents after an evacuation/emergency to determine any needs for additional therapy, psychological counseling and/or changes in medication regimen.
Audit: Emergency evacuation drills will be conducted periodically to determine team members’ capability in evacuating “at risk” residents as a result of bomb threats or other unexpected disaster events that may occur repeatedly. During evacuation drills, residents with dementia/Alzheimer’s will be monitored for behaviors that might result in injury or emotional trauma. The results of the drills and audits will be summarized and submitted to the QAPI/QAA Committee and the Compliance and Ethics Committee for review and recommendations.
The county sheriff’s department cleared a Florida nursing home for the second time in two days after someone called in a bomb. As occurred the day before, all of the residents and employees were evacuated, and deputies searched the building. Nothing suspicious was found in either search.
There were no injuries reported in either of the incidents, and the residents and employees were all allowed to return to the building.
The county sheriff’s office reported that it was working aggressively to identify the person or persons responsible for making the threats.
The executive director of the nursing home told news media that the facility initiated its protocol for such emergency situations as soon as the threat was made—law enforcement arrived promptly. and the residents were evacuated. She also said, “We do an awful lot of emergency training for this sort of thing,” and added, “Everything is fine, and the residents are now back to business as usual.”
