School Shooter Contingency Plans

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Specializes in Peds,Geri-Psych,Acute Care Rehab.

So, we just had a super scary school lock-down, kid with suicidal ideations, saying he was "going out with a bang" talking about Columbine and with a gun in bag. Our awesome school cop was there and him and admin talked kid down till the police could get here.

I was wondering (god forbid) do any of you have a contingency plan. Its so sad we have to think like this as nurses but I want to be prepared for every scenario. We have a disaster plan with triage and all that good stuff in place but no school shooter plan as far as the nurse is concerned.

I hunkered down in my office with my go-bag, AED (tons of tourniquets, tampons and ABD pads, ambu bag ect.) listening to my radio.

What would you all have done? Any ideas of more stuff I can add for potential large casualty wounds? I know EMS would be there soon but given my last experience with them you better believe I'm getting in there too!

I literally was sat there in my office with my bag,AED under the desk with an aluminum crutch in reach (dead serious)

What are your all's thoughts on active shooter preparedness for school nurses? Once again I know its not something we like to think about but after today, I want to be ready.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

I think you did what would be logical for you in that circumstance; wait in the ready position...yes God forbid...but your role would be rapid triage, directing those assisting you, and tending to the injured afterward until help arrives.

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Specializes in Med-surg, school nursing..

No advice really. Super scary, glad you and your students are okay. Prayers for the hurting child.

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Specializes in Home Health,Dialysis, MDS, School Nurse.

So scary for you! We have an active shooter plan and response in place. There is nothing specific for me. Once a shooter is announced (or heard) I have to hide in my room (or where ever I may be) just like everyone else. Lock my door, barricade, whatever I feel necessary. No one, me included is to come out until police or admin unlock your door. If I'm needed to help with triage after that, I would. More than likely I would be helping with student evac to our pick up centers.

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

What a scary situation! Our lock down plan is for me lock myself and any students in the clinic in my bathroom. I'm not too keen on that idea because then we're trapped...only one way in or out. I'd much rather bust out one of my three huge windows & make a run for it. :/

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Specializes in NCSN.

Both my school and district are really into emergency preparedness. In your situation, depending on where the student was located, we would be evacuating the rest of the building. We have set points where students and staff are to go during these incidents and depending on if an all clear is given, they either return to the building or the district mobilizes to send buses to bring them to a reunification point where parents can pick them up.

If there were classes that would have to go past the student, they would be told to barricade the doors and hide in the rooms.

I have no windows in my office and nothing to barricade the door with because of how my office is set up, so escaping is my only option in these scenarios

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Specializes in Peds,Geri-Psych,Acute Care Rehab.
I think you did what would be logical for you in that circumstance; wait in the ready position...yes God forbid...but your role would be rapid triage, directing those assisting you, and tending to the injured afterward until help arrives.

That's what I was ready for....just awful to just wait...

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Specializes in Peds,Geri-Psych,Acute Care Rehab.
What a scary situation! Our lock down plan is for me lock myself and any students in the clinic in my bathroom. I'm not too keen on that idea because then we're trapped...only one way in or out. I'd much rather bust out one of my three huge windows & make a run for it. :/

That was how I felt in my office under the desk! I would almost rather have a chance to run (probably not the brightest but still!)

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Specializes in Peds,Geri-Psych,Acute Care Rehab.

Update: Shooter is in route to psych evaul (former student) grazed an officer in the leg (he refused to go 911,I would have insisted but he was right his partner could drive him faster- so we stuffed him with tampons ABDs and tape and his partner drove him) He was alert through the whole thing and being all mr tough guy (made his partner take pictures!)

Also got to educate mr tough guy cop on what tampons were originally invented for since he was so embarrassed ;)

Thank god it was none of my students but I am sure I will have a room full of anxiety induced episodes very soon

Also of note is I nearly went to jail for assaulting an officer since I was under my desk with my aluminum crutch in hand....they seemed to get a good laugh out of it though

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So scary for you! We have an active shooter plan and response in place. There is nothing specific for me. Once a shooter is announced (or heard) I have to hide in my room (or where ever I may be) just like everyone else. Lock my door, barricade, whatever I feel necessary. No one, me included is to come out until police or admin unlock your door. If I'm needed to help with triage after that, I would. More than likely I would be helping with student evac to our pick up centers.

Same here. We've had drills. Those are unsettling enough. I'm sorry you've had that happen, and I hope that child gets help!

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Specializes in kids.

We are moving to using the ALICE approach

Alert

Lockdown

Inform

Counter

Evacuate

I like evacuate part

Getting the heck out of Dodge if I can (bringing whoever I can with me)

As soon as possible I would be triaging and utilizing people I know that can help.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
Update: Shooter is in route to psych evaul (former student) grazed an officer in the leg (he refused to go 911,I would have insisted but he was right his partner could drive him faster- so we stuffed him with tampons ABDs and tape and his partner drove him) He was alert through the whole thing and being all mr tough guy (made his partner take pictures!)

Also got to educate mr tough guy cop on what tampons were originally invented for since he was so embarrassed ;)

Thank god it was none of my students but I am sure I will have a room full of anxiety induced episodes very soon

Also of note is I nearly went to jail for assaulting an officer since I was under my desk with my aluminum crutch in hand....they seemed to get a good laugh out of it though

Your sense of humor is intact - that is a good thing! Be kind to yourself this weekend and in the days that follow. If you have an opportunity to do a critical debrief, do it. It may help.

If/when we go on lockdown my only immediate job is to grab kids in the halls and pull them in. Crosses my mind that I might be grabbing the shooter but nothing can be done about it and I figure I'd know if the kid was the shooter...

And then I wait. With my radio. In my back office. With small but deadly items to hurl - stapler, small fan, my Peds textbook.

When the all clear sounds I stay put so people can find me (unless I'm called out to the parking lot or someplace).

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