RCFE Emergency Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An earthquake strikes while most residents are in the dining room. What should staff direct residents to do FIRST?
- Evacuate immediately through the nearest exit
- Drop, cover, and hold on under sturdy tables or against interior walls (Correct answer)
- Move residents to their bedrooms for safety
- Call 911 and wait for instructions
Correct answer: Drop, cover, and hold on under sturdy tables or against interior walls
During an earthquake, the Drop, Cover, and Hold On protocol protects against falling objects and is safer than attempting evacuation mid-shaking.
Question 2: Which of the following is a required component of an RCFE's written disaster and mass casualty plan?
- A list of staff personal emergency contacts
- Procedures for relocating residents to pre-identified alternate facilities (Correct answer)
- Insurance policy numbers for all residents
- Employee vacation schedules
Correct answer: Procedures for relocating residents to pre-identified alternate facilities
Disaster plans must include procedures for resident relocation, including identification of receiving facilities that can accept RCFE residents.
Question 3: A resident's family member calls during an active emergency and demands to know their loved one's location. What should staff do?
- Refuse to share any information to protect privacy
- Provide the information quickly and return to emergency duties
- Direct them to the pre-designated family notification contact or hotline (Correct answer)
- Put them on hold indefinitely until the emergency is resolved
Correct answer: Direct them to the pre-designated family notification contact or hotline
Emergency plans should designate a family communication contact so frontline staff can focus on resident safety while families receive timely updates.
Question 4: What should an RCFE do with medications when evacuating residents to a temporary shelter?
- Leave medications at the facility for security
- Bring a 7-day supply of each resident's medications (Correct answer)
- Only bring medications for residents with life-threatening conditions
- Rely on the receiving facility to provide all necessary medications
Correct answer: Bring a 7-day supply of each resident's medications
Best practice requires bringing at least a 72-hour to 7-day supply of medications so resident care is not interrupted during displacement.
Question 5: A resident has an unwitnessed fall and is unresponsive. After calling 911, what should staff avoid doing?
- Staying with the resident
- Moving the resident before paramedics arrive (Correct answer)
- Monitoring the resident's breathing
- Notifying the administrator
Correct answer: Moving the resident before paramedics arrive
An unresponsive resident after a fall may have spinal injuries; moving them before trained EMS personnel arrive can cause further harm.
Question 6: Which agency must an RCFE notify when it cannot provide adequate care due to a disaster affecting the facility?
- The state Medicaid office
- The Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) (Correct answer)
- The county health department
- The local fire marshal
Correct answer: The Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD)
RCFEs are licensed by the Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD) of CDSS, which must be notified of any incident affecting the facility's ability to operate safely.
Question 7: What is the purpose of color-coded resident evacuation tags used in some RCFE facilities?
- To identify residents by room number
- To indicate a resident's level of evacuation assistance needed (Correct answer)
- To show which residents have paid their fees
- To differentiate residents by diagnosis
Correct answer: To indicate a resident's level of evacuation assistance needed
Color-coded tags allow evacuation teams to quickly identify which residents are ambulatory, need limited assistance, or require complete assistance to evacuate.
RCFE Emergency Procedures 3
An earthquake strikes while most residents are in the dining room.
What should staff direct residents to do FIRST?