Active Shooter Training

[Morainey, BSN, RN]

Hi y'all,

Just throwing this out there for general conversation. Has anyone had any active shooter training in their workplace? I think most hospitals have a code grey/silver alert, but I was thinking about it the other day and I don't think we've ever been formally instructed on what to actually do in that situation. I watched some YouTube videos and the general consensus is to run, hide, and shelter in place until help arrives, but I was curious to see if it would be different in a healthcare setting.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

We got a PowerPoint presentation that basically said hide and shelter; find what you could use as a weapon. No actual drills, though. Heck, we don't even have routine fire drills in my department, and seeing as we use lasers, electrocautery, and fiberoptic light sources, we're pretty darn high risk!

[llg, PhD, RN]

We had some video and discussion session. The "run ... hide ... prepare to defend yourself ... don't stop to tend the wounded " approach of the video stimulated interesting discussion. I work in a children's hospital and a lot of people felt they could not run and abandon their patients ... and could not ignore the wounded while running and/or hiding.

The video was not made with a hospital setting in mind and the administration had to admit that it questioned some of the class's recommendations -- and we all agreed that course materials should be created with schools and hospitals in mind.

[river_song]

Just went to active shooter training today lead by our security director who is former military and a former police officer. Our code is now a plain language announcement of a an active shooter in the building.

Our policy is get out....if you can't get out then hide out, and as a last option to take out the shooter if necessary.

Our security team has started implementing drills and will carry them over to the entire staff and community law enforcement later this year.

[JM284]

I heard about it where i work from other departments but it hasn't hit nursing yet. Whoever is doing the talk is telling patient providers like PT, OT to leave if there is an active shooter because health care professionals get hurt trying to protect their patients. Are they saying this so that if we do get hurt they can say they told us we are supposed to leave? If I died saving a patient or preventing them from getting hurt I hope my family goes straight to the press! Either you want me to care or not. If it costs you in the end too bad...so sick of hearing about money in healthcare.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

When I worked in a school, we had lockdown drills.