Question

discuss your role as a nurse in disaster preparedness and response. Describe your current patient population and discuss the challenges you might face in carrying out your responsibilities in a disaster.

How could you gain more hands-on training to supplement your academic study of disaster management? How could you feel more prepared? Discuss different training options that you could participate in (e.g., CERT training).

Answer 1

The population coverage during disaster in my locality is approximately 100000 which is impossible without more trained hands. Important role of nurses in disaster management are the following_

1. The nurse facilitates the communication between the members of the Healthcare team, patients and their families during a disaster.

2. They help the women and their families to stay safe during disaster.

3. The nurse is responsible for the considerations of the pregnant and Postpartum women in taking care of the babies, providing nutrition with Limited supplies.

4. The nurse ensures practice, policy and legal recognition of the reality in emergency situation.

5. The nurses are the appropriate persons to implement triage and taking care of neonatal and perinatal population.

6. The nurses play a key role in advance of a disaster in preparing communities and individuals so that potential hazard mitigated when the disaster strikes.

Challenges in disaster management:

* availability of minimum resources for a wide population.

* Risk of infection.

* Availability of minimum trained hands.

* Inadequate supply of food, water, milk and other equipments for hygiene.

* Lack of supply of basic medications.

* Unavailability of emergency medical care professionals.

Training hands for disaster management:

* disaster management trial can be conducted by involving not only health professionals but also the common community.

* Conducting disaster management programs on regular basis in all medical institutions.

* Training programs can be conducted by trained persons from fire and disaster safety, persons from National Institute of Disaster Management and the skilled Healthcare professionals.

* Trial techniques can be done by each individual during their academic studies so that they gain confidence by implementing.

Training options in disaster management:

Anyone can participate in the training programs conducted by CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), NIDM(National Institute of Disaster Management), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,United Nations).