Online Program

289919
Role of a School of Nursing in community emergency preparedness


Wednesday, November 6, 2013 : 9:10 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Barbara E. Stanley, M.S., R.N., School of Nursing, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA
Ann Becker, B.S., R.N., University Health Service, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA
Public health emergency preparedness and disaster response are included in the “Essentials of Baccalaureate Nursing Education for Professional Nursing Practice”. The need for nurses entering the workforce with these basic competencies is necessary in our rapidly changing nursing practice environment. College campuses are being charged with leadership roles in emergency preparedness. To assure that students are developing skills to provide for the health and safety of their community in emergencies, one School of Nursing (SON) includes emergency preparedness into several levels of the curriculum. Disaster management education i.e. prevention, preparedness, disaster response and recovery has been incorporated into student's clinical experiences. Students develop clinical and leadership skills thru service learning projects and participation in the University's Medical Reserve Corps(MRC). These collaborative exercises enhance academic/ community partnerships of the SON and the University. The joint drills and activation involved Schools and departments within the University e.g. Health Services, nearby colleges and local coalitions. More than 1000 nursing students together with numerous campus organizations and community response partners have participated. Over a period of six years, four large scale disaster response activities were conducted including Preparedness conferences and one mass casualty exercise. Also, one full scale Emergency Dispensing Response was activated, where 10,000 vaccinations were administered to local residents. Lessons learned from these SON/ MRC activities will be utilized in subsequent University MRC activations; therefore, continuing progress towards ensuring the health and safety of students and those in neighboring communities.

Learning Areas:

Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
Name three types of Medical Reserve Corps drills. List three emergency preparedness activities that take place during a functional exercise. Describe two ways that emergency preparedness activities enhance academic community partnerships.

Keyword(s): Nursing Education, Community-Based Partnership

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a key planner and participant in city-wide and regional table top and full scale MRC emergency preparedness and disaster response drills. During the above mentioned activities I was the School of Nursing liaison to the MRC, participated in the orientation of all incoming nursing students and participated in the emergency preparedness trainings and all activities described in the abstract.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.