Nurses And Disasters

According to the Center for Research and Epidemiology of Disasters, the frequency and severity of disasters has increased over 300% in the last decade. Healthcare systems and individual healthcare practitioners, including nurses, are now fulfilling multiple roles in disaster preparedness in the whole of community: planning, preparedness, risk identification, mitigation, response and recovery. Nurses are considered first responders for biological events or when the disaster occurs where they are working. Nurses act as first receivers when accepting patients/victims for care whose injuries result from non-biological events occurring outside the nurse’s workplace. The vast majority of practicing nurses received no disaster preparedness education in their basic nursing education program. Nurses graduating in the 21st century are exposed to some of the concepts of disaster nursing but have little experience unless there is a disaster or emergency where they work or go to school. Readers will be updated on this topic because articles in this edition demonstrate a vast array of implications for nurses in disaster preparedness around the world: chemical, biological, radiological/nuclear, explosives (CBRNE); natural disasters; new models of training and educating nurses for disasters, military nurse response, mental health issues as well as non-government organizations.

The effects of a disaster on healthcare can range from conditions that immediately besiege the system with large numbers of patients, to catastrophes that strain its long-term sustainability. Nurses, as frontline health professionals, must have an understanding of the situations they may face before, during and after a disaster and they must develop the skills and strategies to provide effective and immediate care. International Disaster Nursing is the first truly comprehensive and internationally focused resource to address the diversity of issues and myriad scenarios that nurses and other health personnel could encounter during a disaster event. This text defines the many roles of the nurse within a multidisciplinary team, and aids the implementation of the community's disaster plans in a crisis. With an alarming increase in the occurrence of disasters in the last decade, International Disaster Nursing is the hallmark text in the field.

This book documents how nurses have shown their dedication, courage, expertise and compassion in helping communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disastrous events. It aims to inspire and equip nurses and other health professionals to help people in disaster-affected areas and contribute to community resilience. The last decade (2005-2015) has been characterized by a number of overwhelming natural disasters - tropical storms, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis; and threats of emerging infectious diseases - SARS, MERSCoV and Ebola around the world. Countries from the Asia Pacific region, such as Australia, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Japan, Nepal, Philippines, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Thailand and Vanuatu, have borne the brunt of the devastation caused by these catastrophic events. Nurses from these countries have stepped in providing emergency care in hospitals and in the field, addressing public health needs in evacuation centers, supporting epidemiologic surveillance and conducting health education, training and research, to help save lives and support communities build back better.

This textbook describes what nurses need to know about pediatric disaster nursing, including public policy, and addresses preparedness for all types of disasters (natural and man-made) and strategies for hospital, school and community preparedness. The book opens with a brief history of disaster nursing and explains the key differences between pediatric and adult disaster nursing. Recent years have been marked by numerous man-made and natural disasters, which have led nurses to seek new resources to be better prepared, in their role as nurses, for all types of disasters. Responding to this lack of resources, the book focuses on the unique needs of babies and children. It is the first and only textbook on pediatric disaster preparedness to include both the physical and psychological effects of disaster. Key aspects covered include: the psychosocial differences in and how to approach children; family reunification; medications, supplies and equipment; and decontamination. Given its breadth of coverage, the book is well suited as a textbook for nursing classes, while also offering a valuable resource for nurses working in the field.

Learn how to plan for and respond to disasters! Preparing Nurses for Disaster Management: A Global Perspective helps you build the skills you need to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergency situations efficiently and effectively. It includes the personal stories of nurses who have experienced disasters, describing the specific incident, the response, what worked or didn’t work, and the lessons learned. Case studies show how to apply international response guidelines in providing care for those in need. Written by Joanne Langan, an internationally known expert in disaster preparedness, this reference will help you feel more confident in handling the aftermath of both natural and man-made disasters. Coverage of disaster management includes the stages of disaster response, nursing roles, and personal case studies of actual disasters and public health emergencies around the world, e.g., natural disasters, global earthquakes, radiation disasters, chemical disasters, biologic or infectious disease outbreaks, and man-made disasters. Actual Disasters unit provides a description of each event, preparedness, response, recovery, personal preparedness equipment, legal and ethical issues, special considerations, and lessons learned. Tabletop exercises and drills allow organizations and institutions to assess their readiness, determine community vulnerabilities, and prepare appropriate responses to disaster events such as an active shooter, cyberattacks, and the grid/power going down. Case studies help you learn to apply concepts to practice. User-friendly content includes definitions of key terms and the role expectations for different nurse specialties and levels. Discussions of International Council of Nurses’ Core Competencies in Disaster Nursing use this benchmark as an outline for effective nursing practice before, during, and after disasters. Reviews of psychiatric/mental health issues discuss interventions to improve mental health following disasters. Expert contributors share perspectives and experience from a number of different countries.

Preceded by Disaster nursing and emergency preparedness for chemical, biological, and radiological terrorism and other hazards / Tener Goodwin Veenema, editor. 3rd ed. c2013.

This timely volume describes and analyzes the nursing response to a variety of historic and recent global disasters that occurred between 1885 and 2012, including Hurricane Sandy. The book is unique in its discussion of cooperation and conflict in the disaster responses regarding the mobilization of individuals across national borders and continents. It examines how partnerships developed, their implications for policy, and how we can use lessons learned to improve care in the future. The book addresses such questions as: How did local, regional, and national communities mobilize for emergency care? What was the role of local nurses in emergency care after disasters? What was the role of the national or international Red Cross, local and federal governments, physicians, nurses, and other first responders? What was the impact of social attitudes and issues of race, class, and gender on the ways nurses and other health care professionals reacted to the disasters? How did unpreparedness for the type or scope of the disaster affect the response? The book will be of value to a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate students in nursing, social work, history, health policy, women’s studies, public health, and urban studies. KEY FEATURES: Addresses the role of nurses in di saster response Highlights nurses’ roles in di sasters that occurred in the context of World War II—heretofore unaddressed in the interest of political correctness Discusses policy implications of the different disasters

This book addresses issues in disaster preparedness specific to nurses in a host of practice sites. Through a compilation of research, nurses' personal experiences in disaster and trauma care, firsthand accounts from the authors and other experts in bioterrorism and disaster preparedness, this book introduces users to basic disaster nursing and works to help prepare them for a wide spectrum of settings and situations that are relevant in today's world. It includes a pocket flip chart that serves as a quick guide to fast facts imperative to nurses in responding to disasters of all kinds. Nursing Students and Nursing Professionals.