Communicate with the laboratories that receive specimens for testing.

Ensure that telephone numbers for notification of appropriate healthcare facility and public health agencies are current and distributed to the appropriate healthcare facility departments and personnel.Maintain heightened awareness for evidence of ricin-exposed patients and collaborate with clinicians and laboratory to ensure immediate notification of local and state public health department officials when ricin poising is suspected.For more on ricin pathogenesis, see Epidemiological Overview for Clinicians. There is no antidote for ricin poisoning. Even though ricin is sometimes referred to as a biological agent, it is a protein extracted from plant material and is not a living organism.Services expand beyond normal from large scale event.It is determined that healthcare facility cannot manage anticipated number of victims.Prepare for public health surge capacity and cooperate with other healthcare facilities, local, state, and federal authorities when:.Determine if lockdown (shelter-in-place) is necessary, and secure area to control access and contain contamination.Perform hazard vulnerability analysis to determine if hospital can manage the anticipated number of victims.Prepare for mass casualties by establishing patient triage, registration, decontamination, treatment, transportation, and stabilization zones/areas for hospital admission(s).Comply with healthcare facility’s Emergency Response Plan.Direct the emergency department ventilation exhaust away from the fresh air intake to limit re-entrainment of any airborne contaminant from victims who present to and enter the emergency department.Be prepared for victim(s) who may present to an emergency department without prior warning.

Healthcare Facility Emergency Preparedness

Ricin poisoning antidote