Introduction
Healthcare professionals and leaders must be ready to deal with the issues affecting their people. The selected leadership role is that of a Director of the Public Health Department. This leadership role is critical because it determines the health outcomes of every targeted community. This paper identifies the best approaches towards dealing with chemical leakage in a largely populated city.
Responding to a Health Crisis
The first role of the Directors of the Public Health Department is preventing various diseases and health conditions. Such directors should also improve the health conditions of their communities. They should also promote local actions to deal with diseases such as cancer and obesity. Such directors should use every available resource to deal with disasters. They are also required to support their patients. Directors of the Public Health Department should “use their skills and knowledge to support the local population” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d., par. 2).
The first approach is embracing the best leadership style. Many successful healthcare directors use collaborative leadership to achieve their goals. A collaborative leader encourages every person to be part of his or her mission (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2014). The leader should encourage his or her people to identify the issues affecting them. I will hire professionals to examine the dangers associated with the leaked chemical.
I will also use Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) to highlight the issues and problems affecting the city. The community will identify the best strategies for dealing with the chemical. Every person in the city will be encouraged to undertake new measures that can protect the community from the chemical (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2014). I will also hire new experts to neutralize the chemical. This strategy will protect the city from any harmful effects.
It will be necessary to consider several factors as a leader when responding to the above health crisis. The first important factor to consider is the complexity of the health crisis. This practice “will make it easier for the leader to identify the contents of the chemical, its possible effects, and the best strategies to deal with it” (Community Tool Box, 2013, p. 4). The approach will make it easier for the leader to assist the affected population. The strategy will also protect the community from the dangers associated with the chemical (Institute for Healthcare Improvement, 2013).
The second factor to consider is the most appropriate response to this disaster. The leader should inform the right authorities about the leakage within the shortest period. The director will also be required to provide objective advice to the community (Community Tool Box, 2013). The U.S. government used the same approach to deal with the Elk River chemical spill. The disaster occurred in January 2014. The government informed every person in the community about the spill. The approach was critical towards dealing with the disaster.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, Directors of the Public Health Department should embrace the best leadership styles to achieve the best results. The “leader must ensure every activity is conducted in a proper manner” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d., par. 3). The above strategy will ensure the chemical does not affect the community. The use of CBPR will also protect the community from this disaster.
Reference List
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Preparedness for all hazards. Web.
Community Tool Box. (2013). Section 3: Styles of leadership. Web.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2014). Recovery leadership roles and responsibilities. Web.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (2013). Leadership response to a sentinel event: Respectful, effective crisis management. Web.