Safe Handling of Snakes in an ED Setting

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Toxicology
• Veterinary Science

Background:

• Managing snakes and venomous snake bites in emergency departments (EDs) requires consistent protocols.
• Patient and staff safety, along with surveillance data accuracy, can be improved through standardized ED management.
• A large academic medical center identified a need to standardize the handling of snakes patients brought into the ED.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a standardized process for snake identification and disposal in an emergency department setting.
• To reduce the risk of staff exposure to snake venom from snakes brought to the ED by patients.

Main Methods:

• Collaborated with a local snake consultation vendor and a zoo Herpetologist.
• Developed and implemented a standardized process for snake identification and secure disposal.

Main Results:

• The new process successfully identified and securely disposed of all snakes encountered.
• No safety incidents related to snake handling or venom exposure were reported following implementation.

Conclusions:

• Emergency departments can enhance employee and patient safety by developing standardized snake disposal protocols.
• Utilizing specialized consultants and local resources is recommended for creating effective snake management processes in EDs.