Saint Michael's Medical Center Tests Innovative Decontamination Kits

NEWARK, N. J. –– Health workers at Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark recently tested the hospital’s Decon Kit, which is designed to preserve the privacy and dignity of people who must be stripped and decontaminated in an emergency. Saint Michael’s tested the kits at a successful full-scale disaster exercise, in which the hospital activated its Emergency Operations Plan in response to a simulated terrorist attack in Newark.

Experts at Saint Michael’s developed the two-part kit — known as the Saint Michael’s Pre-Decon Kit and Post-Decon Kit — as part of the hospital’s ongoing efforts to improve its ability to respond to a disaster, such as chemical spill or biohazard accident.

After the attacks on September 11, 2001, the hospital created makeshift showers to decontaminate people exposed to the fallout. “We realized we needed a more sophisticated solution,” said Mary Danish, the hospital’s director of Emergency Preparedness. “Before the creation of the Kit, there was no good way to safeguard the privacy of people who need to get undressed outdoors. In an emergency situation, some people might refuse to remove their clothing, potentially harming themselves or others. The Kit ensures that their dignity — and their safety — are preserved.”

Danish pointed out that the Kit also minimizes the hospital’s liability, citing an incident in Seattle, Washington, in which two female police officers brought a successful lawsuit after their privacy was compromised in a decontamination event.

The Kit includes such items as disposable shoes, wipes, towels, and a type of poncho beneath which a person’s clothing and jewelry can be removed. In addition, the kit includes bags to separate contaminated clothing and collect valuables. All bags are given a unique marking so that the contents’ owner can be identified. Danish said that the Kit’s effectiveness has led to its adoption by other hospitals in the region, such as University Hospital in Newark, and by the Nutley Hazardous Materials Unit, which deployed personnel to assist in Hurricane Katrina disaster relief efforts.

Established by the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor in 1867, Saint Michael’s Medical Center is a 357-bed regional tertiary-care, teaching and research center in the heart of Newark’s business and educational district. The Saint James Campus in Newark’s East Ward and the Columbus Campus in the North Ward deliver key non-acute services, including 24-hour emergency care. They serve as a “front door” to the inpatient, outpatient, and clinic services available at Saint Michael’s Medical Center. Saint Michael’s Medical Center is a member of Catholic Health East (CHE). Based in Newtown Square, PA, Catholic Health East is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems, with 33 hospitals in 11 states. More information is available at www.che.org and www.smmcnj.org.