Medical Assistance and Incident Management Policy

We are committed to ensuring the safety of the children within our care. We endeavour to take all precautions possible to avoid any potential incidents. However, we do understand that accidents and injury do occur and, in this instance, staff are well trained in how to deal with the situation.

Incident Management Policy

• If an accident/injury/incident occurs the first priority is to treat the child – a staff member trained in first aid will do this.
• If the child needs to go to the doctor a teacher who holds a current first aid certificate will accompany the child to the nearest Doctors surgery for treatment.
• In the event of a serious accident an ambulance will be phoned for by dialling 111.
• Parents/whanau will be contacted as soon as we understand that the child is ok/ assistance sought. A person responsible will be the contact person for the parents and will ensure that they have as much information to share as possible.
• All head and facial injuries are to be advised of immediately to the parent and the child will be closely monitored by a first aid trained teacher for any delayed symptoms.
• For minor injuries, the adult will reassure and comfort the child, and also encourage the child to, hold the ice pack/cold cloth and resume activities soon thereafter.
• If a hazard contributed to the accident/injury, it will be managed and/or eliminated as soon as possible.
• All choking incidents are advised to parents by a phone call. We recommended that parents take the child to the doctor to get checked out after any choking incident as the object (even soft food may have damaged the throat and can cause swelling etc. If a child chokes and is not able to cough or make sounds 111 will be called immediately.
• All back-slap attempts on children who are choking must be documented on the child’s accident/ incident form, informed to and signed off by parents and double signed by staff.
• In the event of a serious accident/incident involving a child whilst at the service requiring the notification of an agency, the service provider must also notify the MOE at the same time. Agencies may include but not limited to: NZ Police, Oranga Tamariki, MOH, Worksafe NZ and the Education Council.
• Within our yearly budget is allocation for staff training to complete or update their first aid qualification.
• The Centre supports its commitment by enforcing and providing first aid training for the staff that we employ.
• For any minor injuries our centre will use the products in our first aid box and signed for at the time of enrolment .

Recording

Each child’s individual accident /illness/incident register states:

• Date/Time
• Description
• Where injury occurred
• Treatment/actions/by whom
• Staff Name/ Signature
• Parent Signature

Parents are asked to sign off the record of injury on arrival to pick up their child. If a phone call has been made prior to pick up this is noted on the accident form. We will ensure that any conversations around injury or incident are discussed privately to protect the privacy of the child and family.

All serious injuries (notifiable) that require a child to be seen by the Doctor/Hospital will also be documented down on the comprehensive accident/injury form and a copy given to families to take with them.

For any minor injuries, a phone call must be made to the family by the end of the day if the injury information has not been passed on, e.g due to someone other than parents picking the child up.

If the injury has been witnessed by a relief teacher the accident register will be double signed by a permanent member of staff.

Information regarding accidents/injuries will only be passed onto the parent unless prior permission has been sought from family to pass on to a caregiver (e.g. in the instance of an Au Pair/Nanny).

All communication regarding a Notifiable Event is kept in the office.

Our Centre Manger reviews the Accident Register monthly to identify any recurring accidents, evaluate the incidents and eliminate pieces of equipment if necessary.

Examples of notifiable incidents/illness include but not limited to:

• is a serious injury or illness which occurred as a result of work activity and
• needs immediate admission to hospital or
• needs treatment by a doctor within 48 hours of exposure to a substance.

Examples of an injury or illness occurring as a result of a work activity include, but aren’t limited to, a child:

• falling from a height during a nappy change
• ingesting a cleaning product that wasn’t stored securely
• sustaining a serious injury from play equipment