PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to ensure in case of any emergency or critical incidents that occur at Happy Hearts Nursery, we have a set guideline that can be followed to minimize injuries and further risks.
DEFINITIONS
Critical incidents - A “Critical Incident” is any actual or alleged event or situation that creates a significant risk of substantial or serious harm to the physical or mental health, safety or well being
Emergency - An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or environment.
POLICY STATEMENT
Measures Taken to Reduce Risk
Daily safety checks are conducted by supervisory room staff and management on duty before the building is opened to children. This is to ensure that the premises are safe to operate. Any faults or damage established from this check are reported to the most senior person on duty and appropriate action is taken to resolve the matter.
Dealing with an Accident
- The situation is assessed.
- Emergency first aid is given as required.
- Emergency services are called where required by delegating to another member of staff; this must be the case in the event of all serious injuries, accidents or illnesses.
- The child is comforted and reassured as needed.
- Initial information is collected to help manage the situation and to understand how the accident happened? For example, for falls, how far did they fall? and for a trip, what caused this? Has the child eaten a foreign object? If so what was it? Can a sample by given to health care professionals?
- The individual with parental responsibility is informed without delay where a child requires further medical treatment, when they have had a bump to the head or any other injury which is deemed to be severe by the Nursery. If a child injures themselves in such a way that it would be immediately noticeable to the parent on collection of the child a staff member will inform parents in advance.
- If a child needs to go to hospital they will be accompanied by a familiar staff member until the parent is able to arrive and take responsibility for the child. The member of staff accompanying the child should take appropriate details with them to inform emergency treatment, this information will include allergies, medical conditions, parents’ wishes, parent’s details, date of birth, home address and Doctors details.
- Staff members will ensure any cleaning and replenishing the first aid kit is dealt with immediately.
- A Nursery accident form will be completed. Investigating Incidents All serious incidents will be investigated thoroughly. This includes considering whether a risk assessment needs implementing or if current risk assessments need reviewing.
- Any equipment which is involved in an incident will be assessed to determine whether it may need repairing or potentially removed from the Nursery.
- Call for an Ambulance Using the Nursery. When the ambulance arrives the Nursery staff must provide paramedics with the child’s emergency details form, as well as a detailed account of the accident or reason for call.
- Accident/Incidents that happen away from Nursery We have a duty to the overall well-being of all nursery children and as part of this commitment we require that any incident resulting in an injury whilst away from the Nursery is recorded on an Incident Away from Nursery form. This information supports us to safeguard the children at the Nursery and is then in the child’s personal file for future reference.
- If injuries are not reported but are noticed on the child whilst at the Nursery staff members must speak to the concerned authority before contacting the parents to identify the cause and will require the form to be completed on collection.
- First aid boxes are checked and replenished on a regular basis.
Accident Procedure
- All accidents must be recorded in the accident/injury record sheet book and on head injury form if applicable.
- All recording of accidents must be done immediately after the child has had the accident.
- Parent/caregiver is to sign the accident book form. The accident/injury record sheet stays in the medical record file.
- In the event of a child requiring hospital treatment, a member of the staff must:
- Make every effort to contact the child’s parent/caregiver or emergency contact.
- Take all relevant information in respect of the child to the hospital (medication record, food charts etc.)
- Staff member will remain with child until parent/caregiver arrives.
Make sure that relevant information is conveyed.
- Date of accident / injury.
- Time it occurred.
- Location where accident / injury occurred.
- Location on child of injury if applicable head sheet should be completed.
- A brief description of the accident / injury should be written.
- Information relating to treatment / first aid/ action should be given.
- Member of staff completing accident/injury record sheet should sign relevant section.
- Information should be recorded relating to any follow up treatment in the hospital.
- Member of the staff should sign the sheet
- Parent / Caregiver should be informed and sign Accident/injury record sheet to confirm this sharing of information
IMPLEMENTATION DOCUMENTS
Please refer to the following documents to ensure the effective implementation of the policy:
- Incident report form
- Accident report form
