I just had a thought--if your hospital has dropped ceilings (ceiling tiles + grid), then the sprinklers are most likely ABOVE the tiles.

I cant speak for other hospitals but all hospitals I did fire drills at (and actual fires) had spirnklers involved. In case of emergency, hospital goes on total diversion and overflow of admited patients flows into ER and other wards. You only evacuate floor that fire happens on and 1 above and 2 below (or 2 above and 1 below). I don't know how that would play if real blaze happened as far as the evacuation goes but I know that all EMS both 911 and transport would be involved. There are going to be resources available to move the pts around yet you have to remember that since it is the multi casualty incident a lot of people in serious condition like from ICU may not get the proper care they need. If one nurse can supervise 10 lightly sick patients or 1 serious patient the chances are hospital is going to secure less sick first.

Most likely in situation like that all you need is a change of clothes and some money. If you can't walk you are kind of at the mercy of the staff. Your family will not be let nowhere near the hosp at that point so unless you can walk out and meet them somewhere than you are set. And if you are thinking about leaving and checking yourself into other hospital in the area... those hospitals ER will be open for EMS only who will be bringing in overflow of PTs and injured field personel so walk in emergencies will not be seen short of cardiac arrest or really serious cases.

The funny thing is that last fire we did caused about $50000 damage to the room (pt decided to smoke a cig in oxygen rich environment) but sprinkler system caused about $2 million damage to the cardiac labs below it and pretty much put research going there to the halt for 6 months.

Hospitals are considered to be a secondary targets for terrorist because under all conventions they are marked as "do not touch" places. In case of explosion or attack no matter how small ,public idea of safety would be shattered.I just hope that it will never happen.

I haven't been hospitalized since the late 80's, thank goodness, but one of the things I remember from that fun visit was that during the check-in procedure they made the point several times that they did not want me to have money, jewlery, etc (apparently they do not trust their own staff). Don't know what would have happened if I had pushed it, I guess that they can't stop you from bringing "stuff," they just don't like it...

Hospitals are just like hotels & motels, they don't want to be responsible. Generally there's no place to lock anything up in a Hospital room. It's easy for anyone to cruise around looking for empty beds and grab whatever is laying around or in the
drawer while the patient is gone to x-ray or wherever.
No cash also helps cut down on deliveries of food & booze.
If you gotta take cask or credit cards a small pouch worn around the neck seemed to work pretty well.

Dave

WOW! Sounds like the hospital a relative of mine works at...people who play the game do well and decent folks either stay because they're committed...or should be!