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Yarm Gwanga Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Administration of First Aid Guideline

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Section 1 - Overview

(1) Yarm Gwanga is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment and has a duty of care to ensure that all staff, children, families and visitors to the Service are provided with a high level of first aid and assistance. This Guideline provides information about the administration of first aid to assist those who are injured, become ill or require support to administer medication during the hours of the Service's operation.

(2) For the purposes of clause 168 (2)(a)(iv) and 168 (2) (b)of the Education and Care Services National Regulations, this Guideline is considered to be the policy and procedure.

(3) These Guidelines satisfy the following National Quality Standards:

  1. Quality Area 2 Children's Health and Safety
    1. Standard 2.2 Each child is protected
      1. Element 2.2.1 At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard
      2. Element 2.2.2 Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practised and implemented.
  2. Quality Area 7 Governance and Leadership and Management
    1. Standard 7.1 Governance
      1. Element 7.1.2 Systems are in place to manage risk and enable effective management and operation of a quality service
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Section 2 - Scope

(4) This Guideline applies to all UNE Representatives, children and families, and all visitors to the Services.

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Section 3 - Guideline

General Requirements

(5) These Guidelines supplement the University's Rules, Policies, Procedures and Guidelines regarding incident, injury, trauma, illness and the administration of first aid.

(6) In accordance with the Education and Care Services National Regulations, the correct ratios of Educators to children will be maintained at all times.

(7) All Educators employed at the service will have first aid qualifications.

(8) At least one first aid qualified Educator will be present at all times in the Service.

(9) The Service will ensure first aid, anaphylaxis management training and asthma management training is current for all educators, and updated at least every 3 years.

Response Procedure

(10) At no time will assistance or First Aid be refused to any person.

(11) In the event of an incident, injury, trauma, or illness the following procedure will be invoked:

  1. The Educator will notify the Nominated Supervisor and a first aid qualified educator of the incident, illness or injury;
  2. The Nominated Supervisor or first aid qualified educator will review the medical information relating to an injured or ill child (disclosed on the child's enrolment form, medical management plan or medical risk minimisation plan) before applying first aid. The condition of an injured or ill person will be initially assessed using a recognised plan such as the St John DRSABC Action Plan.
  3. The Nominated Supervisor or first aid qualified educator will attend to an injured/ill person and make a decision about whether the incident requires:
    1. First aid treatment only. If the illness or incident involves asthma or anaphylaxis, an educator with approved asthma or anaphylaxis training will attend to the child or adult.
    2. Contact with the family member/carer, including whether the child needs to be collected from the service.
    3. Treatment from a medical practitioner requiring the attendance of an ambulance.
  4. If the first aid qualified Educator or Nominated Supervisor determines an ambulance is required, they will request ambulance (dial 000) attends the service. Where an ambulance has been called for, the service will:
    1. Inform the UNE Safety, Security and Information on extension 2099;
    2. Ensure the child is comfortable and kept under adult supervision;
    3. Contact the family (or emergency contact) to inform them that an ambulance is on its way to the service. If the family member (or emergency contact) is unable to reach the service to meet the ambulance, then they will be requested to meet the ambulance at the hospital;
    4. Ensure that where a family member (or emergency contact) is not available, an Educator who is known to the child will accompany the child to the hospital; and
    5. Inform the Director UNE Life (as the nominee of the Approved Provider) of the event.
  5. Reporting/notification requirements
    1. All incidents will be documented (on an appropriate Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record) and signed by an authorised family member as soon as practical (no later than 24 hours after the occurrence).
    2. Serious Incidents: The Nominated Supervisor or Responsible Person will provide a written report to the Early Childhood Education and Care Directorate (Click here for forms) within 24 hours of a serious incident. If the Service only becomes aware that the incident was serious after an incident occurs, the regulatory authority will be notified within 24 hours of becoming aware that the incident was serious.
    3. Serious injury or illness is a "notifiable incident" under the work, health and safety legislation and will notified in accordance with the UNE Work Health and Safety Rule and associated documents.

First Aid Precautions

(12) When dealing with bodily fluids and waste, Educators should minimise the risk of infection from contact by:

  1. using disposable gloves when dealing with bodily fluids or waste;
  2. washing hands before and after administering first aid;
  3. thoroughly washing any body parts that have come in to contact with bodily fluids or waste;
  4. placing any waste contaminated with bodily fluids or waste in a plastic bag and sealing the bag for disposal; and
  5. cleaning and disinfecting any bloodied surfaces.

(13) To minimise the risk of infection when performing Expired Air Resuscitation, it is required that educators involved in such resuscitation use a disposable pocket mask with a one-way valve.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

(14) Yarm Gwanga will rely on resources, adhere to directions and follow advice relating to SIDS outlined at the SIDS and Kids website (http://www.sidsandkids.org/ ). This includes:

  1. incorporating safe sleeping practices, safe wrapping practices, and tummy time; and
  2. providing Yarm Gwanga families with SIDS related information in a variety of languages.

Illness

(15) If a child has a temperature above 38 degrees Celcius and/or they are unable to participate in program activities due to illness, the authorised family member will contacted and requested to collect their child from the Service.

(16) If a child has, or is suspected of having an infectious disease, the Service will adhere to recommendations outlined in Staying Healthy (Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services) (https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/ch55 ). This will include the responsibilities of Educators/parents as well as the length of time a child is to be excluded from the Service.

(17) In most cases, medication must not be administered to a child being educated and cared for unless the administration is authorised. The enrolment record kept for each child must include details of any person who is authorised to consent to medical treatment or administration of medication to the child (regulations 160 and 161).

(18) A medication record is kept for each child to whom medication is to be administered by the Service. The record must include the authorisation to administer medication (including, if applicable, self-administration, regulation 96), signed by a parent or a person named in the child's enrolment record as authorised to consent to administration of medication (regulation 92).

(19) The medical conditions policy of the education and care service must set out practices in relation to self-administration of medication by children over preschool age if the service permits self-administration (regulation 90(2)).

(20) In the case of an emergency, authorisation may be given verbally by a parent or a person named in the child's enrolment record as authorised to consent to administration of medication or, if such a person cannot reasonably be contacted in the circumstances, a registered medical practitioner or an emergency service (regulation 93). Medication may be administered to a child without an authorisation in case of an anaphylaxis or asthma emergency (regulation 94).

Communication with Families

(21) Yarm Gwanga will:

  1. provide families with access to, and the opportunity to contribute to the review of this Guideline;
  2. be notified of any incident, accident, injury, trauma or illness as soon as practicable but no later than 24 hours after the incident and will be provided with a copy of the completed incident, injury, trauma or illness form to be signed by the family; and
  3. communicate regularly with families about health and safety related experiences within the Service and provide up to date information to assist families to provide a safe and healthy environment.

First Aid Training

(22) The Nominated Supervisor will ensure that:

  1. first aid training details are recorded on each staff member's record;
  2. all Educators' approved first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training are current, meet the requirements of the National Act (Section 169(4)) and National Regulations (Regulation 137), and are approved by ACECQA;
  3. Educators are kept up to date with any changes in the procedures for the administration of first aid; and
  4. Educators practice CPR and the use of an auto-injection device at least annually.

First Aid Kits

(23) Yarm Gwanga will ensure that:

  1. an appropriate number of up-to-date, fully-equipped first aid kits that meet Australian Standards and provided and maintained are available at the Service;
  2. a portable first aid kit is available and maintained for all for excursions and offsite activities;
  3. safety signs showing the location of first aid kits are clearly displayed; and
  4. out-of-date materials are disposed of appropriately.

Authority and Compliance

(24) The Guideline Administrator, Director UNE Life, makes these Guidelines.

(25) UNE Representatives must observe these Guidelines in relation to University matters.

(26) These Guidelines operate as and from the Effective Date.

(27) Previous Policies/Procedures/Guidelines relating to Yarm Gwanga Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness and Administration of First Aid requirements are replaced and have no further operation from the Effective Date of this new Guideline.

(28) This Guideline is to be reviewed annually.

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Section 4 - Definitions

For the purposes of this Guideline the following definitions apply:

(29) ACECQA (Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority) - is the body responsible for overseeing the implementation of the National Quality Framework (NQF) and works with the NSW regulatory authority (NSW Early Childhood and Education Directorate, Department of Education) to administer the NQF

(30) Approved First Aid Qualification: A list of approved first aid qualifications is published on the ACECQA website: www.acecqa.gov.au

(31) Duty of Care - is a common law definition that refers to the responsibilities of organisations to provide people with an adequate level of protection against harm and all reasonable foreseeable risk of injury.

(32) First Aid - is the provision of initial care in response to an illness or injury. First aid training should be delivered by approved first aid providers. A list of approved first aid providers is published on the ACECQA website: www.acecqa.gov.au

(33) First Aid Kit - should provide basic equipment for administering first aid. A UNE First Aid Kit Checklist is available at https://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/38779/4.06b-first-aid-kit-checklist-form.pdf

(34) Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record: Contains details of any incident, injury, trauma or illness that occurs while the child is being educated and cared for by the service. The incident, injury, trauma or illness must be recorded as soon as practicable but not later than 24 hours after the occurrence. http://www.acecqa.gov.au/sample-forms-and-templates-now-available

(35) Medication Record: Contains details of each child to whom medication is to be administered by the service. http://www.acecqa.gov.au/sample-forms-and-templates-now-available

(36) Resuscitation Flowcharts - will be displayed in the service. The Australian Resuscitation Council provides flowcharts for the resuscitation of adults and children: www.resus.org.au/flowcharts.htm

(37) Serious Incidents in relation to this Guideline include incidents resulting in the death of a child, or an injury, trauma or illness for which the attention of a registered medical practitioner, emergency services or hospital is sought or should have been sought by a reasonable person. Serious incidents include:

  1. Head Injuries
  2. Epileptic Seizures
  3. Fractures
  4. Bronchiolitis
  5. Burns
  6. Whooping Cough, Measles or other immunised illnesses
  7. Anaphylactic reaction requiring hospitalisation
  8. Asthma requiring hospitalisation

(38) Serious Injury or Illness is defined under section 36 the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) and refers to a person's condition that requires:

  1. Immediate treatment as an in-patient in a hospital, or
  2. Immediate treatment for:
    1. the amputation of any part of the body
    2. a serious head injury
    3. a serious eye injury
    4. a serious burn
    5. the separation of skin from an underlying tissue (such as de-gloving or scalping)
    6. a spinal injury
    7. the loss of a bodily function
    8. serious lacerations or
  3. Medical treatment within 48 hours of exposure to a substance.

(39) Visitor - includes, but is not limited to, students on practical placements, volunteers, community members and persons conducting inspections/audits.

(40) Yarm Gwanga refers to both the Yarm Gwanga Preschool & Early Education Centre as well as Yarm Gwanga Vacation Care.