The business world often places safety and emergency preparedness in the backseat, mostly because daily operations and financials take center focus. However, since most emergencies occur at work, business owners must prioritize medical emergency response training. Establishing a medical emergency response team (MERT) protects employees by increasing morale and positively affecting the bottom line. Let’s go over what MERT is and how your company could benefit if interested in establishing a team in the workforce.
Understanding MERT: It’s More Than Just First Aid
To truly comprehend the impact of a MERT, start by understanding what it encompasses. A MERT goes beyond simple first aid; it’s a structured approach to handling medical emergencies in the workplace. It is a designated group of trained employees that actively respond to various emergencies, from a cut finger to cardiac arrest.
When emergencies occur, the timeliness and adequacy of the response time set apart saving and losing a life. A MERT ensures individuals within your company remain equipped and prepared to manage situations promptly and effectively.
The Core Training of a MERT Member
Each MERT member should receive comprehensive training tailored to the risks and needs of your specific workplace. To meet medical emergency demands, workers must know basic life support techniques such as CPR and AED, control bleeding, and conduct communication protocols during emergencies. Additionally, staff should have a protocol system in place, such as Incident Command, for reporting and managing responses to emergency events.
Generally, employees who acquire this knowledge and continue to train for MERT enhance the company’s ability to manage a crisis with proficiency that improves patient outcomes.
Benefits of Implementing a MERT in Your Small Business
The advantages of cultivating a MERT culture in your workplace extend well beyond the immediate response to medical emergencies.
Creating a Safe and Secure Work Environment
Employees who feel safe and supported are more likely to engage in their work and less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. By forming a MERT, you demonstrate a commitment to your team’s well-being, fostering a safe and secure work environment.
Reduced Downtime and Workers’ Compensation Costs
A well-trained MERT can address medical incidents swiftly, reducing downtime and the need for costly medical care. Additionally, prompt intervention can prevent minor injuries from escalating and increasing costs. So, setting up MERT is the best approach to medical emergencies at work.
Enhancing the Company’s Reputation
A company that is proactive about employee safety and well-being is a must in today’s job market. And it’s a positive among consumers who frequent physical locations. This initiative boosts your corporate image and can attract quality talent.
Setting Up Your MERT: Where To Begin
Establishing a MERT might seem out of reach, but it is quite easy, honestly. Let’s explore how to get started.
Assess Your Company’s Specific Needs
Every business is unique, with different hazards that present many risks. Start by considering the company’s current health and safety challenges, then identify the high-risk areas and the types of medical emergencies occurring in those locations.
Developing a Written Protocol
The team and business leads should review, update, and develop a document outlining the MERT’s roles and responsibilities and emergency action plans. Encouraging employees, even those not on MERT, to participate in this protocol can create a smoother integration of safety in every business area.
Selecting and Training the MERT Members
Identify employees willing to take on the responsibility of MERT membership. Ensure that each member receives the necessary training and regularly updates their skills. Encouraging the team members to keep their training and certifications current is crucial.
Maintaining and Refreshing MERT Skills: The Continuous Improvement Mindset
Creating a MERT is just the beginning. Keep employee’s skills sharp through ongoing training and regular drills to stay proactive.
Regular Training Sessions
Host bi-annual or quarterly training sessions for the MERT to practice and review their emergency response skills. This consistency ensures the team is always ready to act effectively and confidently.
Simulated Drills
Conducting live drills reenacting different emergency scenarios familiarizes the MERT with potential situations, giving them the tools to respond calmly under pressure.
Skill Refreshers
Technology and best practices in emergency response are constantly evolving. Regularly schedule reviews and updates to the MERT’s procedures to keep everyone up-to-date on the latest insights and techniques.
Incentives for MERT Members: Recognizing Their Vital Role
MERT members offer various benefits, but what do they get out of it besides contributing to a safer work environment? For one, rewarding members helps them feel recognized, appreciated, and valued as team members. Consider other incentives to recognize MERT members in their roles.
Incentive Programs
The best benefit a MERT member could receive is an incentive. Whether you are offering gift cards, a pay increase, or more PTO, these rewards motivate and retain these dedicated employees.
Career Development Opportunities
Offer skill-building courses to MERT members, whether they are in the medical field or related to emergency response. Offering more ways to develop and advance as an employee helps them sharpen their abilities and stay with your company long-term.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Developing a MERT involves considering workplace regulations, obligations, and insurance. Ensure you comply with local and industry-specific laws and that the MERT operation aligns with your company’s ethical values and responsibilities.
Legal Compliance
Ensure that your MERT’s activities do not conflict with laws or regulations. Review and update your MERT protocols to maintain legal compliance, especially as laws around workplace safety change.
Insurance and Liability
Understand your company’s insurance coverage for first-aid incidents and MERT members’ liability. Including your MERT in any discussions about your business’s insurance needs is advisable to protect both them and your company.
The Power of Proactivity
In an ideal world, we could prevent all workplace incidents. However, the ability to react effectively is just as important. By establishing a MERT, business owners are taking a giant step toward nurturing a proactive, safe, and well-prepared work environment.
The MERT initiative is not just about creating a process for response; it’s about instilling a culture of preparedness and care within your company. It’s an investment that can pay off in terms of employee loyalty, productivity, and the assurance that your business is resilient in the face of adversity.
Start today by exploring the next steps to implementing a MERT in your company. If you’re not sure where to begin, CPR123 offers a range of online courses for non-healthcare providers that offer the knowledge your team needs to become a first responder panel. Remember, continuous training keeps your MERT at the top of their game and ensures the health and safety of every member of your workplace community.
