Sometimes as nurses, we don’t think of ourselves as emergency responders, so we think that we don’t need to understand disaster preparedness and response principles. But, when a disaster strikes a community - whether that’s a bus accident, a tornado, a hurricane or terrorist attack - nurses are on the front lines helping those who need care.
Because of the central role nurses are likely to play during a disaster , nurses can and must become involved in preparedness and response. We can lead efforts aimed at preventing injury, protecting health and saving lives.
Nurses have served as crisis leaders during wars, disasters, and epidemics, demonstrating vision, courage and endurance in managing some of the worst circumstances imaginable. As the nation’s largest health care workforce, we are called on by our neighbors, communities and our country to provide that support.
As nurses, we can provide leadership in caring for disaster survivors whether that’s caring for survivors at the scene of a disaster, providing care to the broader community, or caring for survivors at our place of employment such as a health care facility. Because we are a major component of the front line response to any disaster, we need to understand the implications of natural and manmade disasters and get involved in response organizations before a disaster happens.
One way to get involved in response organizations is to register to volunteer in a disaster through the Emergency System for Advanced Registration - Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP). You can join a Medical Reserve Corps team to volunteer for local disaster response or apply for the National Disaster Medical System, which provides medical support across the country during crises.
Increasingly, nurses also are serving as leaders in preparing communities before a disaster strikes. Nurses are leading planning efforts at state, regional, national and international levels. Nurses are also guiding policies to enhance our nation’s preparedness.
From a fundamental perspective, nurses can lead preparedness within our own homes, too, focusing on personal and family preparedness. We can assure that their families have a disaster supply kit and a plan for responding to the threats that are likely to occur in our communities.
As leaders in a disaster response, nurses will help to bring order to chaos and will maximize available resources to save lives. We need to be professionally and emotionally prepared for that responsibility. Case studies from disasters show that we also will need to use sociopolitical skills and emotional intelligence to be effective. We need to hone those skills now.
I can think of no better time than during National Nurses Week to call attention to the role and the potential impact of nurses in preparing and responding to disasters. By getting involved now, by acquiring or sharpening the necessary skills now, by becoming prepared now, nurses can lead our nation and our communities in becoming more resilient.
