Reference no: EM133467568

Question

As frontline healthcare providers, nurses play a critical role in disaster preparedness and response. The article "Challenges and Resources for Nurses Participating in a Hurricane Sandy Hospital Evacuation" highlights the challenges nurses faced during Hurricane Sandy and emphasizes the need for nurses to be adequately prepared for disasters. One of the challenges nurses faced during Hurricane Sandy was the sudden influx of patients. As the article notes, "The hospital patient population increased rapidly, doubling within the first two hours, which overwhelmed staff and resources." In addition to the increased patient load, nurses also faced challenges related to communication, transportation, and safety. Nurses can take part in practical training programs to augment their academic studies of crisis management. Disaster preparedness training can increase nurses' knowledge and confidence in disaster response, according to a study published in the Journal of Emergency Management (Hong et al., 2019). The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, which offers fundamental training in disaster preparedness, such as fire safety, first aid, and search and rescue, is one option for training. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute is another choice; it provides online training programs and classroom instruction in disaster management.In addition, hospitals and healthcare facilities can train their own staff members for disaster preparedness. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Nursing Administration indicated that disaster preparedness among nurses can be increased by simulation-based training (Johnson et al., 2015). In conclusion, nurses are essential in the preparation for and reaction to disasters. Nurses can seek out training from their healthcare company or take part in practical training programs like CERT or FEMA training to feel better prepared. In the event of a disaster, nurses who are well-prepared can aid in ensuring the security and wellbeing of their patients.