VCU news

By Eric Peters

The VCU Medical Center participated this week in a simulation exercise that included use of its new decontamination area, located in the emergency department.

The simulation scenario, which involved the Central Regional Hospital Disaster Planning Committee – which includes all hospitals in the central region of Virginia – revolved around a mass casualty chloroform event and utilized real “patients.”

 “Living in the central region, and especially being at VCU, it is possible that we will encounter a chemical event like this one,” said Robin Manke, manager of emergency management at VCU Medical Center. “With the I-95 corridor, government buildings and businesses surrounding us, we have to always be prepared and know what each hospital’s capabilities are so the infrastructure of the hospitals and quality of patient care are not compromised.”

During the simulation, VCU Medical center assumed medical control of the event and then transferred it to Chippenham Hospital as part of the scenario.

The new decontamination area at VCU Medical Center opened in December 2012 and can treat up to 10 patients at a time in two rooms.

 

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