Central Coast
VNA & Hospice, Inc
P.O. Box 2480
Monterey, CA 93942
Tel:  831-372-6668
Fax:  831-648-7726
vnafoundation@ccvna.com

Privacy Policy

BASIC HOME SAFETY:

• Keep your home well lighted—with night lights in bedrooms, bathrooms, or stairways if needed
• Always use the assistive equipment prescribed for you, when you are in your home
• Use skid-proof mats in the bathtub or shower, and handrails in the tub, shower, and around the toilet for added safety
• Remove throw rugs and loose carpeting or anchor in place
• Remove excess clutter from rooms to allow for easier mobility. This also will limit danger from obstacles in case of an earthquake
• Handrails should be present on stairs
• Remove long telephone cords from high traffic areas – the cords are easy to trip over
• Watch your step if there are cats and dogs around
• Consult your phone book for First Aid and Survival Guide or click on the Housing Authority website at http://www.hamonterey.org/disaster_preparedness for emergency actions

It is highly recommended that you and your family take a CPR and first aid class. Consult your local fire department for community classes.

If you have a child or spouse with limited mobility, or live with someone who is on an oxygen concentrator or ventilator, contact your fire department to let them know about the situation. PG&E also should be advised of any life-supporting electrical equipment in the home, as that service will receive priority in an emergency.

FIRE SAFETY:

Fire Prevention:

• Never smoke in bed
• Install smoke detectors between living and sleeping areas – it is your best early-warning system
• Test smoke detectors each month and replace batteries twice a year, when clocks are changed in the Spring and Fall
• Keep flammable materials away from stoves, heaters, or other heat sources
• Keep cooking equipment, vents, laundry ducts and filters free of grease and lint
• Give space heaters space – place them at least three (3) feet from walls and furniture.

Fire – Instant Action:

• Smother it with a blanket, coat or most anything, or
• Cover it if it is a pan or trashcan fire, or
• Throw water on it; this instant action may put it out

Take care of your life first, then, if the fire is still small, you may be able to use a fire extinguisher.

• An ABC-type fire extinguisher can be used on ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, or electric fires. KNOW ITS LOCATION, TYPE AND HOW IT OPERATES.

Consult your local fire department regarding sources of smoke detectors and installation if you are unable to purchase.

Make a Plan:

• Know the best way to get out of your home if a fire starts.
• Find at least two ways out of the house from every room.
• Be sure your plan includes assisting persons who cannot get outside without your help.

Get Down, Crawl Low:

If you smell smoke or see flames, drop to the floor and crawl to the nearest exit.

Stop, Drop and Roll:

• If your clothes catch on fire, stop everything. Drop to the ground. Cover your face, then roll over and over to smother the flames.
• Get Out, Stay Out:
• Never return to a burning building for anything!!

Getting a bed-bound patient out in an emergency… when you need to move out fast:

• Swing: If there are two helpers, place patient in between with arms around helpers’ shoulders. Each helper grasps the other helper’s shoulder, then reaches under the patient to grasp other patients wrist, so patient can sit on helper’s lower arms in sitting position.
• Lift: Helper hugs patient in bed or chair, from behind around waist, and grasps own wrist to lift patient from bed. Another helper lifts patient’s knees to carry.
• Drag: If only one helper available, lower patient onto blanket and pull out head first.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY:

• Keep all electrical appliances, cords, and outlets in good repair
• Look for cracking and splitting of cords and plugs
• Any cord that feels hot is a fire hazard. Unplug it and DO NOT USE until repaired or replaced
• Do NOT overload outlets
• Tape extension cords to the floor in heavy traffic areas to avoid tripping
• Always follow directions when using any electrical appliance or medical equipment

EARTHQUAKE SAFETY:

• Prepare your individual/family plan. Stock up on at least 72 hours of emergency supplies
• Keep battery-operated emergency lights plugged into electrical outlets, especially near stairs
• Remember to arrange for a buddy system. Do not isolate yourself from your friends and neighbors
• Keep your mobility aids (cane, walker, etc.) near you at all times. If possible, have extra aids available in several locations in your home
• When you feel an earthquake, crawl under a desk or sturdy table if possible. Stay undercover until the shaking stops
• If you’re in a wheelchair, stay in it. Move to cover, such as the frame of a doorway. Lock your wheels if possible and protect your head with your arms
• Stay away from windows, bookcases, heavy mirrors, hanging plants and other heavy objects that can fall. Watch out for falling plaster or ceiling tiles
• If you’re in the kitchen, move away from the refrigerator, stove, and overhead cupboards. Take time NOW to anchor appliances and install security latches on cupboard doors to reduce hazards
• Identify an out-of-area contact person for all relatives to call to check on those in the earthquake area

EMERGENCY SUPPLY CHECKLIST:

Store enough supplies for at least 72 hours (3 days).

Survival Supplies:

• Water: 2 quarts to 1 gallon per person per day
• First aid kit, freshly stocked
• First aid book
• Food (packaged, canned, no-cook, baby food and for special diets)
• Can opener (non-electric)
• Blankets or sleeping bags
• Portable radio, flashlight and spare batteries
• Essential medications and glasses
• Fire extinguisher (A-B-C type)
• Food and water for pets
• Money, including coins for pay phones

Sanitation Supplies:

• Large plastic trash bags
• Large trash cans
• Bar soap and liquid detergent
• Shampoo
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Feminine and infant supplies
• Toilet paper
• Household bleach
• Newspaper to wrap garbage and waste

Tools:

• Axe, shovel, broom
• Crescent wrench for turning off gas
• Screwdrivers, pliers, hammer
• Coil of one-half inch rope
• Plastic tape and sheeting
• Heavy gloves for cleaning debris
• Knife or razor blades
• Garden hose, for siphoning and fire fighting
• Scissors

Cooking:

• Heavy-duty aluminum foil
• Barbecue, camp stove, chafing dish
• Fuel for cooking (charcoal, camp stove fuel, etc.)
• Plastic knives, forks, spoons
• Paper plates and cups
• Paper towels

Safety and Comfort:

• Sturdy flat-heeled shoes
• Candles and matches
• Change of clothing
• Tent
• Toys for children

OXYGEN SAFETY:

• Oxygen supports combustion. This means that some things will burn hotter and faster when oxygen is present
• Oxygen is not flammable in itself
• Remember that oxygen will accumulate around the user and immediate area, so flammable materials should not be present
• NEVER use petroleum-based products in and around your nose (Vaseline, A&D Ointment, etc.). Use of these products with oxygen can cause burns
• Avoid going near open flames, matches, stoves, barbeque grills, or space heaters
• No smoking or use of open flame should be within 8 feet of the oxygen user and equipment
• Caution should be used with electrical devices or toys that produce sparks

MEDICATION SAFETY:

• Be sure your doctor is aware of all the medications you are taking
• Know what the medicine is, what it is for, how it works, and the side effects which may be expected, if any
• Take prescription and over-the-counter drugs exactly as directed on the label and at the right time. Pay particular attention to the proper dosage. If you miss one dose, do not add to the next
• Take your medicine in a good light where you can read the label to be sure that you are taking the correct one
• Leave the label on the container so it is easy to identify and to remind you of directions for use. Ask the pharmacist about labels you do not understand
• Keep a chart of your medications, listing by name when each should be taken
• Report any side effects to your doctor
• Dispose of medicine no longer being taken by flushing it down the toilet. Old medicine loses its effectiveness and could become toxic
• Rinse empty medicine containers, then throw them away
• If you have difficulty opening the childproof bottles, don’t hesitate to ask your pharmacist to substitute an easy-to-open cap. If you do, be sure to keep it out of the reach of children
• If you have more than one doctor, be sure each is aware of all the drugs you take… both prescription and over-the-counter drugs
• Call your doctor if an illness recurs

NEVER take medicine from unlabeled containers.
NEVER increase or decrease the dosage of prescribed medicine without your doctor’s instructions.
NEVER put drugs in containers other than the ones they came in, unless they are plainly marked.
NEVER put two different kinds of pills in the same bottle.
NEVER take alcohol with any medicine unless your physician assures you that the combination will not cause adverse effects.
NEVER mix medications unless your doctor or pharmacist indicates you may.
NEVER take over-the-counter drugs if you are on a prescription drug, unless approved by your physician.
NEVER take an old prescription drug. In time, some drugs become less effective and may even be harmful.
NEVER store medicines in the bathroom where warmth and moisture in the air may cause deterioration.
NEVER take a drug prescribed for someone else, or give your prescription to someone who happens to have symptoms similar to yours.

INFECTION PRECAUTIONS:

Wear:

• a mask, a gown and goggles for procedures that cause droplets or splashing of body fluids
• gloves for direct contact with any body fluids

Laundry:

• wash all patient’s items separately
• store in plastic bag until laundered
• use hot water wash
• use bleach
• dry on high dryer temperature

DISPOSAL TIPS FOR HOME HEALTH CARE:

Needles and sharp objects:

• put needles, syringes, lancets and other sharp objects in a hard-plastic or metal puncture-proof container with screw-on or tightly secured lid, put in bag, seal and put out with household trash
• A coffee can will do, but be sure to reinforce the plastic lid with heavy-duty tape. Do not put sharp objects in any container that will be recycled or returned to a store. Do not use glass or clear plastic containers. And make SURE you keep containers with sharp objects out of the reach of young children.
• If you have a VNA/Hospice red Sharps container, do not dispose in regular trash. Call the VNA homecare office for disposal.  

Dressings and other patient trash:

• Soiled bandages, disposable sheets, medical gloves and patient trash should be placed in securely fastened plastic bags before you put them in the garbage can with your other trash.

Test tube specimens:

• seal in plastic bag

Spills:

• wipe with solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water

Wash hands before and after patient contact

POISON SAFETY:

Accidental poisonings occur most frequently to children. Even if you don’t have small children of your own, it is smart to take a few precautions to protect your grandchildren or neighbor’s kids who may be visiting.

• Destroy outdated or unused medications. Flush them down the toilet
• Keep medications and chemicals in their original containers with proper labeling
• Never put harmful substances into food or drink containers
• Never store any cleaner or chemical under the sink or on a garage floor
• Do not mix cleaners with bleach. Mixing cleaning products often can create a poisonous gas or fumes
• Purses are often full of interesting things that have the potential to cause serious damage if ingested. Keep your purse out of a child’s reach
• Do not tell a child that medicine is candy. If they think it is candy, they may take it next week as candy when a parent is unavailable
• Common household plants such as azalea, holly, ivy, daffodils, tulips and rhubarb are toxic. They cause more accidental poisonings than the rare or unfamiliar species. Keep plants out of the reach of small hands
• Call the Poison Control Hotline if you think a child has swallowed something poisonous:
  1-800-222-1222.

KEEP A LIST OF ALL EMERGENCY NUMBERS NEAR YOUR TELEPHONE

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