Introduction
The impromptu nature of their occurrence makes it almost impossible to prepare for emergencies and other challenges. It follows that most medical attendants, especially nurses need to be equipped with the requisite knowledge for this endeavor. It is regrettable that most practitioners graduate from medical school without any knowledge in this sector, since the information was nonexistent in their curriculum at medical school (Gebbie & Quareshi, 2002).
Summary
An emergency can be illustrated as an unusual incident that can be addressed with existing resources by a forceful and rapid response. A disaster constitutes a phenomenon of appreciable magnitude that disrupts a people’s way of life, by affecting public health and vital amenities like transport. They are effectively resolved when the whole community steps in to help victims. Disasters are brought about by natural or human factors (Gebbie & Quareshi, 2002).
Human instigated disasters occur as a direct aftermath of manmade reasons, for example, pollution, civil strife, and armed conflicts among others. Natural catastrophes are the upshot of ecological interferences, which the populace, cannot become acclimatized. They often bear devastating consequences and include floods, tempests, and dearth. Irregular rainfall patterns can be discussed under this category (Gebbie & Quareshi, 2002).
It is imperative for nurses to establish the roles they will play during a disaster response mission. This can be facilitated if the task is divided into five categories, namely; preparedness; mitigation; response; recovery; evaluation. This segmentation empowers nurses to plan and implement crucial decisions, hence play a direct role in the course of the process (Gebbie & Quareshi, 2002).
Several areas are vital in the process of determining competency levels for public health workers. It is essential to establish the exact role a centre will play and the exact duration for which the process will continue. This will help in planning and resource allocation. A direct chain of command should also be established and strictly observed. This helps personnel avoid confusion and makes coordination easier (Gebbie & Quareshi, 2002).
A clearly written emergency response plan should be placed strategically within the reach of all to guarantee easy access to it. All roles and functions should be clearly defined and demonstrated frequently in drills. The use of personal, protective and communication equipment should be incorporated into these sessions. This enables members of the nursing team to familiarize with it, making it easier for them to implement it when required to. It is noteworthy that communication is a delicate aspect, hence the need to categorize interest groups and tailor feedback to suit their needs. Members of the media, relatives and close contacts, the general public, and members of staff should be handled and communicated to differently as dictated by prevailing circumstances (Gebbie & Quareshi, 2002).
A team should possess concise knowledge of and operate within its scope, establishing methods of referring cases beyond their capacity to better equipped teams. No matter the circumstance they face, team members should remain rational and flexible, applying proper problem solving skills within the spheres of their operation. They should constantly evaluate their performance and adjust accordingly in a bid to offers better quality service (Gebbie & Quareshi, 2002).
Conclusion
Lastly, nurses should undertake regular educative courses to ensure they remain knowledgeable in the requisite areas. His will help them identify deviation from normal behavior or pattern during a patient’s recovery process. They should also be roped in during evaluation and review sessions, in order to advice the management on the changes to be made in the disaster response plan. Team leaders should ensure a written plan for all emergency categories exists and practice is carried out at regular intervals. This will help them identify their areas of weakness and fill them adequately (Gebbie & Quareshi, 2002).
Work Cited
Gebbie, Kristine. & Qureshi, Kristine. Core Competencies for Nurses: What every Nurse should but May not know. Emergency and Disaster Preparedness. 2002 Vol. 102, No. 1.