Univ. of Iowa Hospitals holds simulated mass causality event

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – With the 50th anniversary of RAGBRIA making an overnight stop in Coralville, UIHC healthcare workers wanted to make sure they were ready in case the worst was to happen.

Leaders held a simulated mass casualty scenario including a mock-press release that said a situation had impacted many RAGBRIA participants in Oxford and Coralville. Dozens of healthcare workers then started categorizing cardboard and inflatable victims by the severity of their injuries and where they would need to go to be treated.

“We want to be prepared for this event and the huge number of people that are coming,” said Dr. Caryn Christensen-Szalinki, a member of the Pediatric Disaster Task Force.

Dr. Christensen-Szalinki said the responders were working on made-up patients, but the scenario was designed to play out exactly as if it were the real thing. Something she said would stress the system.

“There are four different colored triage tarps,” she said. “The green one is for people who were walking, but wounded, the yellow one is for people who are injured, but they can wait a little bit before receiving treatment, the red are people that need urgent intervention.”

This practice gave the healthcare workers the chance to work together and learn how to handle dozens of patients all coming for care at once. So, if something were to ever happen, they’d be ready.

“I think it’s a win-win because we have the experience,” she said.

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