Community Health Nursing Karandeep Kalkat WGU SZT Task 4 September 24, 2014 Community Health Nursing Disasters frequently demand exceptional skills from medical responders such as medics, nurses and physicians. Providers work most efficiently and effectively within the roles and hierarchical structures with which they are familiar. By assigning personnel to roles that are as familiar as possible and to simultaneously enhance flexibility of response to extraordinary circumstances. Role of public health personnel In the case of Franklin County disaster, different healthcare personnel responded to the natural disaster differently. Public health personnel’s primary responsibility is that of the health of the community.
This would include planning before the disaster, response to public health concerns during the disaster, and reviewing and improving the plan after the disaster. The Public Information Officer has the duty to provide pertinent health and safety information to the public and other responding agencies to help ensure their wellbeing. Other duties would include assuring that the public health staff remains consistent with the agency’s message to the public and other agencies as well as serving as the official spokesperson for the public health agency. The Liaison Officer interfaces with and coordinates activities with all the other agencies responding to the disaster. This includes obtaining resources from other agencies needed by the public health response and providing needed public health resources to the other responding agencies.
Nurses need to review the disaster history of their community, as well as how past disasters have affected the community’s health care delivery system (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2008). It is important for nurses to understand and gain the competencies necessary to respond in times of disasters before disaster strikes. The preparedness competencies should focus on personal preparedness, understanding roles, becoming acquainted with the health department’s disaster plan and communication equipment appropriate for disaster situations (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2008). Disaster and mass casualty drills and exercises are extremely valuable components of preparedness that can give nurses and other personnel opportunities to improve plans. Nurses should also identify limits to their own knowledge/skill/authority and identify key resources for referring situations that exceed those limits.
Disasters are natural or man-made events that have a significant impact on the health of the affected community. When a disaster strikes it is imperative for health care providers to be ready to respond quickly and efficiently. Adequate responses are achieved through ongoing training of personnel, establishing and re-evaluating preparedness plans, and coordination among multiple service sectors. Role of Major Public Health Personnel In the simulation, Disaster in Franklin County, multiple public health personnel were involved in the disaster response. These include the County Public Health Director, Environmental Health Specialists, and Community Health Nurses.
Corporate division is the program office responsible for administrative and business services. It composes of national leadership team, staff, and program leaders, which supports regions in business. Corporate division supports the community programs and the health care management that incorporates research and clinical awareness within the organization. Corporate division also provides services and support to medical centers facilitating the care process. It helps to design technologies and the systems needed to coordinate the resources, customizes policies, procedures, improves the health of members, and delivers innovative approach to the communities.
Public health personnel play a crucial role in disaster preparation and response. When a disaster occurs they must handle basic health issues of food and water safety, sanitation of individuals, and environmental hazards. The ability to help assess the disaster and the affects it will have on the local population. Their knowledge and skills used during these emergencies can have a significant impact on reducing the negative health affects during and after disasters. A public health nurse’s (PHN) role can vary depending on the disaster at hand.
Nightingale is accredited with Joint Commission accreditation. Along with this accreditation comes the responsibility to comply with the standards that Joint Commission has detailed in their requirements. Joint Commission’s role is to assist healthcare organizations to measure, assess, and improve their performance. These standards concentrate on the facility’s safety, quality service, and patient care. Joint Commission has laid out a strategic and detailed set of expectations that hospitals and other healthcare organizations can use to ensure they are in compliance with health laws.
Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response Lori Godsey Walden University Family Community and Population Based Care NURS 4010, Section 13 July 26, 2013 Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response Emergency preparedness is vital to the safety and functionality a community. Whether it be obtaining and assisting a surrounding community population, or by organizing the unforeseen catastrophic challenges of your local community. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the professional nurse and other community health care professionals evaluate and provide decision making skills and strategies in the event of a hurricane. The Role of the Nurse Disasters can happen at any time. Some are more prevalent than others.
“Determinants may be individual, relational or social, communal, or environmental which makes this focus of the investigation of causes and association analytical epidemiology” (Stanhope, 2012, p.256). Epidemiology helps explain factors that contribute to health and disease and the development of health promotion and disease prevention
The Public Health Profession: monitor health status to identifies communities health problems. Diagnoses an investigates health problems and health hazards in the communities. The public health nurse may focus on a specific geographical area or on a special needs population. The role of the community health nurse in the participating family’s community is to focus on the health needs of the aggregate or group. The nurse functions as advocate, case manager, consultant, health care provider, educator, and collaborator with other agencies for healthy outcomes of the entire community.