Emergency checklist for caregivers: What information to give your nanny or babysitter
When your newborn is lying peacefully in their bassinet, it̵7;s hard to imagine that you — or your babysitter or nanny — may ever need to take this child to the emergency room for a broken finger, an acute asthma attack, an injury from a car accident or other crisis or injury. But just in case the unwished-for crisis occurs, you want to make sure you and your child care providers are prepared for it. That means consolidating all of the important must-know information in one place; namely, in a child care safety checklist.
We̵7;ve pulled together a list of the 10 most important pieces of information you or your nanny or babysitter will need to have in the event that your child has a medical emergency.
And scroll down for a handy printout of our first-day babysitter checklist that you can fill in and have waiting for your child care provider.
What to include on your emergency checklist
1. Your child̵7;s full name
It̵7;s important that it is spelled correctly. (Your babysitter may know their nicknames, but correct, full names are on health insurance cards.)
2. Your child̵7;s address, ZIP code and phone numbers
If parents live at separate homes, list both addresses.
3. Each parent̵7;s contact information
This includes work and cell phones, name of employers, work addresses and hours they will normally be there.
4. Your child̵7;s pediatrician̵7;s name and contact information
You̵7;ll also need this information for any specialists your children see, along with a notation on what their specialties are.
5. Your child̵7;s dentist̵7;s/orthodontist̵7;s names and contact information
6. Any drug/food allergies your child has
7. Any medical conditions your child has/any medications they take
This also includes any danger signs that someone should be made aware of for each of those conditions. For example, will your sitter know how to identify an asthma attack? Be sure you tell them how to recognize it, how to help with the inhaler and when to call 911.
8. Your child̵7;s health insurance policy number, the subscriber̵7;s name and the address and phone number of the insurance company
There̵7;s usually an 800 number or member service number listed on the back of the insurance card. Some insurance companies will allow you to order duplicate cards, which can be extremely useful for your babysitter or nanny. This is often the very first item asked for in the emergency room.
9. Names and contact information for any family/friends to call for help
This is just in case the parents can̵7;t be reached.
10. Your child̵7;s cell phone number
If you have more than one child, you should include their cell phone numbers, if any, as well as an emergency contact number of a friend or family member who can gather everybody together in case of an emergency. It̵7;s worth taking a few moments to tell your kids what will happen if there is an emergency with one of their siblings — that a friend or family member will find them and bring people to their home or to the hospital if necessary.
You can either put all this information in your own checklist, or you can download one that we created for you below. This reusable, just-in-case checklist for babysitters and nannies will help your family keep track of emergency contacts, procedures and health concerns when your children are under the watchful eye of your favorite caregivers.
Keep a copy on your refrigerator and make sure every caregiver has one of their own, too. If there̵7;s an emergency while you̵7;re away, this handy checklist will tell your sitters what to do and who to call.
Stay safe!
DOWNLOAD: Care.com First-Day Babysitter Checklist (.pdf)
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