Assignment Task:
Promoting Healthy Communities
There are 2 parts to this assignment.
In Part 1, you will explore the professional nurse's role in emergency management, and you will evaluate the community's level of preparedness by interviewing first responders.
In Part 2, you will assess individuals' level of preparedness for emergency situations in your chosen family or agency; you will teach individuals, families, and/or community members how to prepare for a variety of disasters common to your community; and you will help individuals and families put together an emergency go bag in the event they need to evacuate in an emergency. A go bag typically includes useful items for an emergency, such as drinking water and non-perishable foods, personal hygiene items, flashlight and extra batteries, and a first aid kit.
Part 1: The Professional Nurse's Role in Disaster Response
Healthcare workers play a significant part in disaster planning and emergency preparedness.
Analyze disaster response and emergency preparedness in the community by:
- Researching the local community emergency management plan
- Interviewing one or more first responders about whether they think the community is prepared for a disaster and why
Based on your research and interview(s), identify nursing roles and responsibilities and consider the Interprofessional roles (e.g., first responders, local hospitals, county public health departments) during each phase of emergency management.
The phases of emergency management are:
- Prevention
- Preparedness and Planning
- Response
- Recovery
Create a teaching tool for the community in which you describe:
- How to plan an emergency kit or go bag
- How to practice your evacuation plan
- How members of a family or household should communicate with each other
- How to respond to natural disasters, such as a fire, flood, or earthquake
- How to respond in a mass casualty situation, such as a major car accident or active shooter incident
Summarize your findings in a 10- to 12-slide PowerPoint presentation with speaker notes in which you:
- Describe nurses' roles in each phase of the community disaster plan.
- Describe how nurses collaborate with other professionals during each phase of the community disaster plan.
- Provide responses to your interview(s) with one or more first responders about whether they think the community is prepared for a disaster and why.
Include your teaching tool in your PowerPoint.
Include at least 3 scholarly sources and an APA-formatted references page.
Part 2: Clinical Activities: Disaster Planning, Preparedness, and Response
Assess your patient population's (individual, family, or group) knowledge of disaster planning, preparedness, and response. Ask the following questions:
- What is your emergency plan for a natural disaster (e.g., fire, flood, earthquake, volcano eruption) or an active shooter in your neighborhood?
- Do you have an emergency kit or go bag?
- Do you have a plan for your pets? If yes, what is the plan?
- How will you communicate with family members? Have you determined a place to meet if you get separated? If so, where?
Practice the evacuation plan with your patient population in the home or community agency as appropriate.
Help your patient population develop a disaster go bag. If they already have a go bag, examine it for out-of-date items and determine if there is a need for additional items. In addition to the items listed in the introduction, if the patient/group has a pet, be sure to instruct them to include items to care for their pets.
Evaluate the patient population's preparedness for disaster planning and response. Ask the individual, family, or group the following questions at a minimum:
- What items will they include in a go bag?
- Where will they meet their family members if they are separated?
- Have they planned for their pet's evacuation?
Write a 350-word summary of your interaction with your patient/group about disaster planning. As you write your summary, be sure to reflect on the clinical objectives for the week and discuss how you met the objective(s).