Describe the role and responsibilities or a nurse in relation to disaster.
This discussion board is aligned with the module objective “Explain the role and responsibilities of nurses in relation to disasters.” As part of the discussion you will:
Describe the role and responsibilities or a nurse in relation to disaster.
How is your community prepared to handle a natural disaster?
Your initial post must be posted before you can view and respond to colleagues, must contain minimum of two (2) references, in addition to examples from your personal experiences to augment the topic. The goal is to make your post interesting and engaging so others will want to read/respond to it. Synthesize and summarize from your resources in order to avoid the use of direct quotes, which can often be dry and boring. No direct quotes are allowed in the discussion board posts.
Post a thoughtful response to at least two (2) other colleagues’ initial postings. Responses to colleagues should be supportive and helpful (examples of an acceptable comment are: “This is interesting – in my practice, we treated or resolved (diagnosis or issue) with (x, y, z meds, theory, management principle) and according to the literature…” and add supportive reference. Avoid comments such as “I agree” or “good comment.”
References:
Initial Post: Minimum of two (2) total references: one (1) from required course materials and one (1) from peer-reviewed references.
Response posts: Minimum of one (1) total reference: one (1) from peer-reviewed or course materials reference per response.
Words Limits
Initial Post: Minimum 200 words excluding references (approximately one (1) page)
Response posts: Minimum 100 words excluding references.
Can you pls respond to these 2 for me please.
Jenny Adams
Forum: M5 A9 DB: ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A NURSE IN RELATION TO DISASTER
A natural or a manmade disaster is an event that causes death, destruction or injury and that the community needs help beyond its resources to deal with and recover from. Nurses are uniquely qualified to nor only help individuals, families and communities prepare for a disaster but also to assist in all stages of a disaster (Nies & McEwen, 2019). The purpose of this post is to describe the role and responsibility of a nurse in relation to a disaster and to relate how my community is prepared to handle a natural disaster.
Families, communities and organizations need to be aware of potential disasters that may affect them. Being prepared for a potential disaster is paramount and increases the likelihood of an effective response and saved lives (Nies & McEwen, 2019). Because nurses are included in disaster planning within their organizations, that preparedness can be used to develop plans for families and communities. Learning what disasters are most likely at their facility and in their community helps to identify what injuries may be sustained. Nurses can identify and initiate the gathering of supplies such as first aid kits and clean water. Nurses can anticipate needs and triage after a disaster. Nurses can treat the physical and emotional needs of a population during a disaster.
At a community level, nurses serve on emergency management committees to make sure their communities are prepared for natural and manmade disasters. Montgomery County Pennsylvania (PA) has an extensive emergency management department that includes emergency and hazardous materials planning, community outreach, logistics support, operational coordination and more (Montcopa.org 2019a). Citizen Corps is a volunteer organization that helps its communities in disasters. Citizen Corps and other volunteer opportunities are available through the Division of Emergency Management (Moncopa.org 2019b). ReadyMontco is the notification service sponsored by the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety. It is the communication resource in case of emergencies, extreme weather, and disasters (Readymontco, 2019).
Individuals, families, communities, and organizations must be prepared for natural and manmade disasters at all times. Opportunities to educate and care for people exist at all stages of disasters. Nurses, with their training and experience in promoting health and preventing illness, should be involved at all levels of disaster planning and management.
References
Montgomery County Pennsylvania. (2019a). Emergency Management. Retrieved from https://www.montcopa.org/
Montgomery County Pennsylvania. (2019b). Citizens Corps. Retrieved from https://www.montcopa.org/
Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M. (2019). Community/public health nursing: Promoting the health of populations. 7th edition. St. Louis: Elsevier/Saunders.
ReeadyMontco. 2019. Retrieved from https://member.
Cheyenne Alejandro
Role and Responsibilites of a Nurse in Relation to Disaster
A disaster is described as an event (natural or manmade) that causes significant destruction, death, or casualty and affects the ability of a community to respond using available resources (Nies & McEwen, 2019). There have been several stories in recent news about disasters such as floods, storms and wildfires. It is important for communities to be informed about potential disasters and how to prepare for them. Health education, including disaster preparedness, is one of the main objectives of community health nursing. The purpose of this post is to discuss the role and responsibilities of the nurse with regard to a disaster. I will also describe how Fresno County has prepared for a natural disaster occurrence.
Because of the need to be disaster prepared, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security(DHS) was created by the Bush administration, which then established the National Incident Management System (NIMS), a program that assist all levels of government to prepare, prevent, respond to, and recover from disasters (Nies & McEwen, 2019). The nurse’s function in a disaster is to implement these programs and assist the community in learning what to do in a community emergency situation. Nies and McEwen (2019) state that the nurse’s role is to educate about and be involved in planning for disaster prevention, survival, and recovery. This should start at home by preparing an emergency disaster kit and discussing an evacuation plan with your loved ones.
Disasters can have a detrimental effect on the health of a community. Many of us have seen news footage showing neighborhoods destroyed by a natural disaster. Many people become displaced, some are badly injured, and some unfortunately do not survive. Disasters may damage communication networks, electrical lines, and transportation structures, creating risks to community health and safety, as this consequently affects access to medical care (Sledge, Herschel, &, 2019).
With assistance from the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program, the Fresno County Department of Public Health (FCDPH) collaborates with the Office of Emergency Services (OES), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), local hospitals and clinics, and other county organizations to prepare response and recovery plans for natural disasters and other public health emergencies (The County of Fresno, 2019). The individual cities that make up Fresno County each have an OES contact that coordinates with the main county Office of Emergency Services regarding emergency preparedness plans and actions. The FCDPH website also provides a link to the Department of Homeland Security which posts instructions about what to do in a public emergency. Wildfires are currently affecting northern and southern areas of California. Fresno County is located in the center, between the two regions. To prepare communities for a wildfire, DHS recommends having an emergency kit containing N95 masks, an evacuation plan, and knowing the locations of shelters (Department of Homeland Security [DHS], 2019). Fresno County also prepares its health care community by coordinating disaster exercises. The hospital where I work recently participated in a mock disaster emergency exercise in light of the Ridgecrest earthquake that happened in California this past summer.
In summary, Fresno County prepares for natural disasters through planning, community education, training and exercises, and collaborating with multiple agencies regarding those issues. The nurse’s responsibility in a disaster includes educating the public about what to do, implementing disaster plans and protocols, and assisting in recovery efforts. Once the immediate emergency ends, public health nurses must help the communities heal, learn from the experience, and rebuild.
References
Department of Homeland Security. (2019). Wildfires. Retrieved from https://www.ready.gov/
Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M. (2019). Community/public health nursing: Promoting the health of populations (7th ed.). St. Louis, MS: Elsevier.
Sledge, D., & Herschel, T. F. (2019, March). From disaster response to community recovery: Nongovernmental entities, government, and public health. American Journal of Public Health, 109(3), 437-444. http://dx.doi.org/
The County of Fresno. (2019). Fresno county department of public health. Retrieved from https://www.co.fresno.ca.
Answer preview Describe the role and responsibilities or a nurse in relation to disaster.
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