The recent historic flash floods in Texas are a tragic reminder of nature's unpredictable power. Natural disasters can occur anywhere and at any time. Being prepared for disasters is important for individuals and healthcare professionals as we approach hurricane season. Nurses are among many healthcare workers who will face challenges while working in a disaster scenario.
Many factors contribute to receiving appropriate assistance in disasters. Being prepared and ready to act when a disaster occurs is crucial for mitigating damage. Some situations don't provide enough warnings to allow for mitigation. Currently, the recent flooding in Texas has killed 120 people, and 173 people are still considered missing.
Understanding Natural Disasters
Natural disasters include a wide range of events, including floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and other disasters. Throughout history, these events have tested human resilience and response capacity. Past significant natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy, offer invaluable lessons.
Analyzing how these events were handled provides critical insights to improve responses to future disasters. Understanding historical disaster responses can help anticipate challenges and build better responses for the future.
Hurricane Katrina (2005): This devastating Category 5 hurricane exposed significant deficiencies in the United States' emergency management system. While there were early warnings, the response was criticized for its slowness and lack of coordination across federal, state, and local levels.
The mandatory evacuation order for New Orleans came late, leading many residents to shelter in the Superdome and Morial Convention Center, which became overcrowded and lacked adequate supplies. The communication infrastructure largely failed.
Eventually, tens of thousands of volunteers and military troops were deployed. The National Disaster Medical System was activated, and Naval ships, including hospital ships, were dispatched. Organizations like the American Red Cross launched their largest relief efforts in history, raising significant funds and deploying volunteers nationwide. Direct Relief provided millions in medical aid and supplies to community clinics serving uninsured individuals.
Superstorm Sandy (2012): This powerful storm impacted the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, causing widespread damage, particularly to transportation networks and critical infrastructure.
The storm caused extensive power outages, disrupted public transportation, and led to the temporary displacement of over 23,000 people. Communication was challenging immediately after the storm due to power loss.
FEMA teams and resources were pre-positioned before the hurricane made landfall. The Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force was established to facilitate collaboration and create the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy. The Sandy Regional Infrastructure Resilience Coordination Group was established to coordinate infrastructure repair efforts.
Organizations like Direct Relief pre-positioned medical supplies and delivered millions in aid to affected health centers. Utility companies, with federal coordination, worked to restore power, with mutual assistance from across the U.S.
Hurricane Katrina is known as the most costly hurricane, causing around $161 billion in damage and 1,833 fatalities. Superstorm Sandy caused around $70 billion in damages and caused 147 deaths. Even though not all disasters can be predicted, being prepared to act at a moment's notice during a disaster can help mitigate damage and fatalities.
Personal Preparedness and Response
As a nurse, when a natural disaster strikes, you may find yourself at home, rather than in your usual work environment. Before a nurse can take care of others, they need to take care of themselves and their family. Some things to do to prepare include:
Personal and Family Disaster Plans: Developing comprehensive plans that cover communication strategies, designated meeting points, and evacuation routes.
Go-Bags: Assembling emergency kits with essential supplies for at least 72 hours, including food, water, medications, first-aid, and important documents.
Develop a Family Communication Plan: Establish a clear plan for how family members will communicate and where they will meet if separated during a disaster.
Know Your Local Emergency Alerts: Sign up for and stay informed about local emergency notification systems.
What to Do in Your Facility
If a healthcare facility is in an area that is at risk for natural disasters, the facility should have a disaster preparedness plan. As a nurse, it is important to be familiar with your facility's disaster plans and your role. Some priorities for preparing for a disaster in the workplace include:
Be Familiar with Facility Emergency Plans: Thoroughly understand and know the specific emergency and disaster plans of their workplace. This includes evacuation procedures, lockdown protocols, and emergency codes.
Participate in Facility Drills and Exercises: Actively engage in all emergency preparedness drills to practice and refine response skills.
Continuous Education: Pursue ongoing education in disaster nursing and emergency management to enhance your expertise.
Know Roles and Responsibilities: Clarifying individual roles and responsibilities during different disaster scenarios, ensuring seamless coordination.
Understand Resource Management: Be aware of the location and availability of essential supplies and equipment, and how personnel will be allocated during an emergency.
Use Communication Protocols: Understand internal and external communication strategies to ensure timely and accurate information flow.
Prioritize Patient Safety: Prioritizing patient evacuation, ensuring continuity of care for all patients, and paying special attention to the needs of vulnerable populations.
The Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA)
A critical tool in disaster preparedness for healthcare facilities is the Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (HVA). An HVA is a systematic process used to identify potential hazards, assess their likelihood of occurring, and evaluate their potential impact on a facility or community. It is crucial for healthcare facilities because it allows them to identify weaknesses and develop targeted mitigation strategies proactively.
Components of an HVA include:
Hazard Identification: This involves identifying a wide range of potential threats, including natural hazards (e.g., severe weather, seismic activity), technological hazards (e.g., power outages, IT system failures, hazardous material spills), and human-caused hazards (e.g., active shooter events, mass casualty incidents).
Vulnerability Assessment: Evaluating the facility's susceptibility to these hazards, considering infrastructure, staff availability, patient populations, supply chain integrity, and data security.
Impact Analysis: Assessing the potential consequences of each hazard, including financial losses, operational disruptions, and clinical impacts on patient care.
Mitigation Strategies: Developing plans and actions to reduce the likelihood or impact of identified hazards. This informs preparedness plans, staff training, and the strategic allocation of resources.
Conclusion
By learning from past disasters, creating personal and family emergency plans, and understanding facility protocols and hazard assessments, nurses can ensure they are equipped to respond swiftly and effectively. Preparedness saves lives, minimizes damage, and supports a faster recovery. In the face of nature's unpredictability, being informed, trained, and proactive is the most powerful tool any nurse can have.
About the Author:
Breann Kakacek, BSN, RN, has been a registered nurse since 2015 and a CNA prior to that for two years while going through the nursing program. Most of her nursing years included working in the medical ICU, cardiovascular ICU, and the OR as a circulating nurse. She has always had a passion for writing and enjoys using her nursing knowledge to create unique online content. You can learn more about her writing career and services at ghostnursewriter.com
Breann is an independent contributor to CEUfast's Nursing Blog Program. Please note that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog post are solely those of the independent contributor and do not necessarily represent those of CEUfast. This blog post is not medical advice. Always consult with your personal healthcare provider for any health-related questions or concerns.
If you want to learn more about CEUfast's Nursing Blog Program or would like to submit a blog post for consideration, please visit https://ceufast.com/blog/submissions.
