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Emergencies in Clinic

Procedures to follow in the event of a patient emergency:

  1. Do not leave your patient.
  2. Call for help. Direct the person responding to ask the Front Desk or Clinic Administration to call 911 from any campus phone or 9-911 from a cell phone if the emergency is life-threatening.
  3. If you are currently certified, begin CPR if indicated and call for an AED (automated external defibrillator).
  4. If you are not certified in CPR, most instructors and all staff supervisors are and will be able to come to the patient’s aid until the professional emergency team arrives.

First Aid Kits are located in the following areas

  • At the Front Desk
  • In the Clinic Director’s Office
  • In the EWC (Eye Wear Center)
  • Note that kits also include emergency ohpthamic supplies (such as angle closure drops)

Smelling salts, irrigating solutions are located in each First Aid Kit as we as:

  • In each module
  • In each specialty clinic

Crash Cart

  • Located in the room C210, the crash cart has emergency medical supplies and equipment including a defribillator and oxygen.

Basic emergency information is presented on the following pages:

Fire Alarm

  • In accordance with state law, building shall be evacuated.
  • Escort your assigned patients.
  • Proceed away from the building to the lawn of the Faculty Glade, located west of Minor Hall Addition.
  • Remain in this area until instructed otherwise.
  • When the emergency condition is over, the Berkeley Fire Department officer in charge shall release the building to the U.C.P.D. officer in charge or an adviser from the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.
  • The U.C.P.D. officer or the adviser from EH&S will then turn the building back over to the building manager/coordinator to allow the occupants to re-enter the building.

Alarm System for Front Desk

If it is necessary to summon the Campus Police quickly or unobtrusively, there are emergency “panic” switches placed around the clinic. Discharging any of these silent alarms by accident results in a penalty to the School.

Panic Switches are located in the following areas:

  • The Clinic Directors Office (room 230)
  • The Front Desk
  • The EWC (Eye Wear Center) reception desk
  • The Records room (room 246)

Power Outtages

During power outtages, clinicians, faculty and staff should remain in the module waiting areas while power is out. Please do not leave patients unattended in the dark. The University is usually able to give an estimate on when they expect the power to resume. Please note that there are a handful of clinic rooms that are powered by emergency generators. These rooms will be used for exam completion and preferentially for those patients on a time constraint.

Ocular Emergencies

If a doctor is present in clinic even after-hours, please consult with them.  If there is no doctor present and it is an after-hour ocular emergency, please call the doctor on call through the emergency number at (510) 642-0992.

Ocular emergencies include chemical injuries; intraocular foreign bodies; conjunctival eyelid or foreign body; corneal abrasion and foreign body; traumatic hyphema; contusion injuries; ruptured globe; orbital fractures; angle closure glaucoma and retinal detachment.