Assignment: Disaster Planning for Public Health
Select a potential natural or man-made disaster that could happen in your community. Then, write a 3- to 4-page paper about the disaster from the community nurse’s perspective.
Section 1: The Disaster, Man-Made or Natural
- What disasters may strike your community and why? For example, do you live in “Tornado Alley,” or has climate change resulted in unusual cold weather snaps or blizzards in your community? Are you located in a flood plain? Include possible diseases that may result from a natural disaster, such as tetanus or cholera.
Section 2: The Nursing Response
- Formulate responses to the disaster, considering systems and community levels of intervention.
- Review websites where a disaster plan may be available for the public, or if one is not currently available, call public health department to see if a disaster plan exists for your community and what the plan contains.
Section 3: Is My Community Prepared for a Disaster?
- What conclusions can you draw about your community’s preparedness plan from having completed this evaluation?
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: Disaster planning is an essential element of public health, and it involves preparing for natural or man-made disasters that may occur in a community. As a medical professor, I have designed an assignment that requires college medical students to write a 3-4 page paper from the community nurse’s perspective. The paper focuses on the potential disasters that could happen in a community, the nursing response, and the community’s preparedness plan.
Section 1: The Disaster, Man-Made or Natural
The disaster that may strike the community is a flood caused by heavy rainfall or a tsunami resulting from an earthquake. My community is located near a river, making it vulnerable to flooding, especially during the rainy season. Recently, there have been cases of flooding in neighboring towns, indicating that the community is at high risk of experiencing such disasters. Floods may result in water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid, as well as vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.
Section 2: The Nursing Response
The nursing response to a flood disaster involves preventing the outbreak of communicable diseases, providing basic first aid, and ensuring the availability of clean water and food. At the systems level, there should be effective communication between health care providers, emergency responders, and government officials. At the community level, nurses should educate the public on the importance of proper hygiene practices, such as washing hands and boiling drinking water. The disaster plan for the community is available on the local public health department’s website, and it outlines the roles of health care providers, emergency responders, and the public during a flood.
Section 3: Is My Community Prepared for a Disaster?
Having completed this evaluation, it is apparent that the community is prepared for a flood disaster. The disaster plan outlines the appropriate response to the disaster, and there are measures in place to ensure that the outbreak of communicable diseases is prevented. However, more can be done to increase the community’s preparedness, such as conducting regular drills to test the effectiveness of the plan and distributing emergency kits to households.
Conclusion
Disaster planning is crucial in mitigating the devastating effects of a natural or man-made disaster. The medical students should conduct extensive research and be well-informed on their community’s disaster plan to provide the best care during a disaster. Nurses play a significant role in emergency response and must be prepared to respond adequately to any disaster that may occur in a community.
