Hat Task 4- Emergency Prepardness

1175 Words5 Pages
HAT TASK ONE
Western Governors University
July 2012
Jacee Knighton

When an emergency happens in small rural towns, like the one I live in, it can be catastrophic for individuals and for the town as a whole. Most counties have emergency preparedness plans that are set up with funding from the federal government. In the event of a disaster the frame work established by the National Incident Management System (NIMS) gives an outline and roles through the Incident Command System. Each state, county, or town can assign roles established by the ICS to hopefully efficiently handle the disaster they are dealing with. 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. Typically a PHN can be responsible for initially triaging patients at an acute care center many times set up by public health personnel, caring for patients with immediate medical needs. They may also be asked to conduct door to door interviews of residents still in their homes to see, if their needs can be meet while keeping them in the home. Beyond basic nursing skills such as physical assessment and immunization technique, public health nurses must collaborate with multidisciplinary teams during a disaster. Nurses can help ensure considerations of needs of the vulnerable populations are met. Within a disaster a public health nurses can function in many capacities, during the simulation “Disaster in

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