Role of Community Health Nurse in Disaster Management
Hello and welcome to this presentation on the role of community health nurses in the management of potential disasters in Oakdale, Minnesota. The natural disaster that is most likely to occur in this region is flooding. I will discuss the role of community health nurses in mitigating and managing such a disaster throughout the stages of preparedness, response, and recovery with specific activities and resources that the public health nurse would use in each location.
Oakdale, Minnesota, is a region that is prone to flooding. As the weather patterns and environment change, the risk of flood increases. The Flood Risk Factor (2021) reveals that about 616 properties are currently at risk of flooding in Oakdale, and in 30 years, approximately 618 will be at risk. Even though flood risks cannot be eliminated, communities that are able to adapt to higher flood risks can mitigate flood damage and reduce flood insurance costs. Community health nurses play an important role in disaster mitigation and management. They can help in preparation, response, and recovery.
A lack of proper disaster management process could cause chaotic and ineffective reactions and care measures. Disaster management processes start with identifying risks that could impact communities, hospitals, individuals, and families. The second step involves preparedness, which requires training and education, as well as developing policies and plans and conducting drills (Al Harthi et al., 2020). Involved parties include healthcare providers like nurses, community members, and caregivers. The third step involves disaster response. This phase involves codes of response that include notifying hospital staff about the disaster, activating a disaster plan, increasing any surge capacity, receiving injured individuals and providing them with necessary care, and also coordinating and communicating with other agencies. The last phase involves disaster recovery, which allows individuals to return to normal routines. Community health nurses are frontline workers during disasters.
During the preventative phase of mitigating a flooding disaster, using a warning system, and calling for a storm shelter, community nurses should be actively involved. Their role is to assess the community for potential risks of the disaster, find information on the history of the disaster, and find out the available community disaster resources. They are also to assess the personnel available in the community, such as the health care facilities that are available, organizations as well as local agencies.
Having an evacuation plan before a flood takes place can help avoid confusion and prevent property damage and injuries (OSHA, 2021). A thorough evacuation plan should be in place. The role of the preparedness phase is to prepare the institutional resources and personnel for potential disasters and create community awareness; this requires thorough training to enhance knowledge and skills that can enhance appropriate responses in the event of a disaster (Mirzaei et a, 2020). The preparedness phase should ensure that there is an established and defined chain of authority, warning, rescue and recovery, lines of communication, modes of transport, mobilization, triage, care of dead bodies, support of families and victims, and treatment.
A public health nurse needs to help identify the local communication system. They also liaise with disaster personnel like local authorities and organizations. They should also identify the particular responsibilities of different personnel involved in the disaster plan to avoid role confusion. An emergency medical system, as well as a chain of activation, should also be set up. Accessibility and location of supplies and equipment should be identified, and emergency equipment should be checked for proper functioning. The public nurse should also prepare to act as a shelter manager, where they will listen to victims, offer hope, dignity, and compassion, and provide basic resources like food and water. The nurse should also take part in assessing the viability of the preparedness plan.
The role of the public health nurse will be to minimize mortality and morbidity. The community nurse should help in the identification of the population. Special attention should be offered to vulnerable populations like persons with disabilities, refugees, the elderly, children, persons living on low income, people experiencing homelessness, and those with mental illness. Triaging of victims should be done, as well as care for injured victims. The nurse should organize the transportation of patients to hospitals after first aid.
The nurse needs to ensure smooth and effective communication is made to help in the evacuation of people and ensure affected victims obtain the necessary help. They should also ensure individuals have emergency telephone numbers and that individuals are notified of the flood. The community nurse should also collaborate with other agencies and organizations to help in the management of the disaster. This includes communicating on areas to be avoided and possibilities of electrical hazards, fire, and drowning. As a shelter manager, the community nurse should ensure necessary resources like water and food are offered to victims.
Public health nurses need to bring leadership, policy, planning, and practice expertise to disaster preparedness and response. They need to be the first responders and offer triage. They should surveil the area and provide rapid needs assessment and help. The public health nurse also needs to take an active role in risk communication and, where possible, assist with medical surge capacity.
The public health nurse is the client and community advocate. They should help in conducting a community assessment and help in recovery efforts (Millet, 2013). The recovery phase involves providing counseling and continuing care to affected individuals. Most people are often in shock due to displacement, injuries, and loss of their loved ones. Post-traumatic stress counseling should be offered, and behavior modification efforts should be made to help individuals get back to their old routines. Rehabilitation should also be done to individuals. The public health nurse should collaborate with partners and community leaders to help plan long-term recovery priorities following a flood ().
Public health nurses have a major role to play as leaders and advocates throughout the disaster management phases. The mitigation phase involves the minimization of vulnerability to the effects of the disaster. Community education, training, and awareness should be done. The second phase requires preparedness. This needs assessment of populations at risk for special needs and the development of necessary plans to care for people when the disaster strikes. The response phase consists of serving on a response team to help determine the needs of victims and assist in triage. The last stage of recovery requires an assessment of community members and assets to help restore systems to functional levels and assess long-term effects on individuals affected by the flood.
Al Harthi, M., Al Thobaity, A., Al Ahmari, W., & Almalki, M. (2020). Challenges for nurses in disaster management: a scoping review. Risk management and healthcare policy, 13, 2627.
Flood Factor. (2021). Oakdale, Minnesota. https://floodfactor.com/city/oakdale-minnesota/2747680_fsid
Millet, C. (2013). The Public Health Nurse’s Role in Disaster Preparedness. https://www.maphn.org/Resources/Documents/CMilletpostver073113.pdf
Mirzaei, S., Eftekhari, A., Sadeghian, M. R., Kazemi, S., & Nadjarzadeh, A. (2020). The effect of disaster management training program on knowledge, attitude, and practice of hospital staff in natural disasters. Journal of Disaster and Emergency Research, 2(1), 9-16.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). (2021). Flood Preparedness and Response. https://www.osha.gov/flood
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Question 
Create a PowerPoint with the intended audience to be a community health department.
Role of Community Health Nurse in Disaster Management
Focus on a real or fictional disaster that has or could affect your area. For example, if you live on the Florida coast, you might choose a potential hurricane.
Discuss the role of the Community Health Nurse in each stage of the disaster. You should include a few slides on each step of the disaster: preparedness, response, and recovery, with specific activities and resources that the public health nurse would use in each location.
Identify other agencies that might be involved.
The assignment should be submitted in PowerPoint format, with at least ten content slides (in addition to a title slide and reference slide), and include at least two scholarly sources other than the provided materials.