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Questions and Answers
What is a primary consequence of poor sanitation in disaster scenarios?
What is a primary consequence of poor sanitation in disaster scenarios?
How can a disaster impact healthcare systems?
How can a disaster impact healthcare systems?
Which factor is most likely to exacerbate the spread of diseases during an outbreak?
Which factor is most likely to exacerbate the spread of diseases during an outbreak?
In the context of a disaster, what is a significant challenge for healthcare facilities?
In the context of a disaster, what is a significant challenge for healthcare facilities?
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What role does sanitation play in disease outbreaks?
What role does sanitation play in disease outbreaks?
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What is a primary objective when establishing mutual aid relationships?
What is a primary objective when establishing mutual aid relationships?
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Which action is essential for evaluating the public health needs of the affected population?
Which action is essential for evaluating the public health needs of the affected population?
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What measure should be taken to prevent the spread of communicable conditions in a disaster scenario?
What measure should be taken to prevent the spread of communicable conditions in a disaster scenario?
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When integrating state and federal resources, which aspect is typically overlooked?
When integrating state and federal resources, which aspect is typically overlooked?
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What is crucial for ensuring sanitary conditions in an emergency situation?
What is crucial for ensuring sanitary conditions in an emergency situation?
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Study Notes
Disaster Preparedness and Public Health Emergency Response for Nurses
- A disaster is defined as "a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society at any scale due to hazardous events interacting with conditions of exposure, vulnerability and capacity, leading to one or more of the following: human, material, economic and environmental losses and impacts." (UNISDR, 2017).
Types of Disasters
- Natural Disasters: Catastrophic events with atmospheric, geographical, and hydrological origins. Examples include earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, floods, tornadoes, blizzards, tsunamis, cyclones, wildfires, and pandemics.
- Man-Made Disasters: Involve human intent, negligence, or errors of man-made systems. Examples include crime, arson, terrorism, war, and biological/chemical threats.
- Hybrid Disasters: Merge natural and man-made elements. For example, extensive clearing of jungles can cause soil erosion, and artificial cloud seeding can trigger landslides.
Most Common Disasters in Jordan
- Natural Disasters: Earthquakes (Jordan is in a seismic zone), flash floods (common during winter due to heavy rainfall), and forest fires (common in dry regions).
- Man-Made Disasters: Industrial accidents (due to chemicals or machinery failure) and armed conflicts (regional tensions).
Objectives
- Define disasters
- Differentiate between types of disasters
- Identify the roles of nurses during disasters
- Recognize the impact of disasters on population health
- Demonstrate evidence-based articles
Impact of Disasters on Communities
- Social Impacts: Community displacement (internal or external), disruption of social bonds, increased stress and fear (anxiety, depression, PTSD).
- Environmental Impacts: Destruction of natural environments (soil, forests, water sources), and threat to biodiversity.
- Economic Impacts: Financial losses (destruction of infrastructure, homes, businesses), and increase in poverty.
- Health Impacts: Injuries, deaths, disease outbreaks due to lack of clean water and poor sanitation, and strain on healthcare systems.
Nursing Preparations for Disaster Response
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Pre-impact (Planning/Preparedness):*
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Participate in community disaster plan development
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Participate in community risk assessments (including hazard analysis, hazard mapping, and vulnerability analysis)
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Conduct disaster drills and table-top exercises
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Initiate disaster prevention measures.
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Relocate at-risk populations
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Establish public awareness campaigns
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Establish early warning systems
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Identify educational and training needs for all nurses
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Develop disaster nursing databases for emergency response
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Develop evaluation plans for all disaster nursing response components.
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Impact (Response emergency management mitigation):*
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Activate disaster response plan (notification, initial response, leadership control, establish communication, damage and needs assessments, search, rescue, field hospital, shelter, triage).
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Mitigate ongoing hazards
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Activate agency disaster plans.
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Establish need for mutual aid relationships.
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Integrate state and federal resources.
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Support public health need.
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Establish safe shelter, and support food and water supply.
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Provide for sanitation needs.
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Establish disease surveillance.
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Isolate individuals, families at risk of spreading communicable conditions.
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Evaluate need for/activate additional nursing staff.
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Post-impact (Recovery/Rehabilitation/Reconstruction/Evaluation):*
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Provide nursing and medical care.
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Continue disease surveillance.
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Monitor food and water supply safety.
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Withdraw from the disaster scene.
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Reunify families.
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Monitor long-term physical health outcomes of survivors.
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Monitor mental health status of survivors.
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Provide counselling and debriefing for staff.
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Evaluate disaster nursing response actions.
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Revise original disaster preparedness plan.
Impact of Disasters on Population Health
- Health Inequities in Disasters: The impacts of disasters can take disproportionate form on vulnerable populations.
- Relationship to Race and Ethnicity: The COVID-19 pandemic unequivocably showed the disproportionate effect on Black, Hispanic, and American Indian populations. This was due to inequities in access to health care services.
- Nurses Roles in Addressing Disparities: Nurses advocate for health equity in preparing for future pandemics addressing historical and current structural issues. Issues such as equitable access to tests, treatments, contact tracing and vaccines should be especially prioritized for underserved populations.
Role of Nurses in Disasters
- General Roles: Providing education, community engagement, health promotion, first aid, advanced clinical care, triage and assessing patients, providing minimal resources (monitoring ongoing physical and mental health needs), developing operational protocols and measures, perform statistical analysis for individual and community level data, activating organizational emergency operations plans, assisting with shelters and resources, working with the elderly and childbirth and reunite families. Disasters often test nurses' knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- Specific Roles in Wars: Comfort and emotional support, humanitarian efforts, recognizing the sacrifice, providing essential care, and reducing mortality rates.
- Specific Roles in Pandemics/Infectious Outbreaks: Supporting/advising in epidemic surveillance and detection (contact tracing), working at point-of-distribution clinics to screen, test, distribute vaccines, employing prevention and response interventions, providing direct hospital-based treatment. Educating patients and public in decreasing the risk of infection
Community Resources
- Ministry of Health (MoH): Headquarters in Amman, regional health directorates and health centers across governorates.
- Civil Defense Directorate (CDD): Headquarters in Amman, emergency response units throughout cities and towns.
- Jordan Red Crescent: Main office in Amman with branches across major cities/towns; provides local emergency assistance.
- NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations): Such as MSF and UNICEF, based in Amman and operate throughout Jordan–especially high-need areas.
- Jordan Health AIDS Society: Known for its mobile clinics and emergency response units, offering preventive health, maternal and child health, and psychosocial support, especially for refugees and low-income populations.
- UNHCR Jordan: Provides essential medical care, mental health support, and emergency coordination to refugees in Jordan.
Summary
- What is a disaster? A serious disruption to a community or society.
- Types of disasters: Natural, man-made, and hybrid.
- Impact of disasters on population health: Social, environmental, and economic impacts, along with impacts on health.
- Role of nurses in disasters: General and specific duties in disaster planning, impact, and post-impact phases, along with community resources for support.
Conclusion
- Nurses are crucial in disaster management and response.
- Understanding disaster preparedness is necessary to minimise loss during a disaster.
Video
- [Video Link]
References (General notes - please see included full references for details on authors etc)
- Flaubert, Le Menestrel et al. (2021)
- Iryanidar, Kadar et al. (2022)
- Alfuqaha, Alosta et al. (2024)
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Description
This quiz covers the essential aspects of disaster preparedness and public health emergency response specifically tailored for nurses. It explores various types of disasters, including natural, man-made, and hybrid events, and their implications on health and safety. Prepare to enhance your knowledge and skills in emergency response scenarios.
