1. Disaster Nursing and Emergency Preparedness – Working with Seniors
CHNET-Works Fireside Chat
Disaster Nursing and Emergency Preparedness – Working with Seniors
Sandra P. Hirst RN, PhD, GNC(C)
June 12th, 2008

2. Outline
Laying the context of nursing, nurses, and emergency preparedness
Background – nursing’s response
Foreground – nursing and
seniors
Current state of knowledge
Knowledge and skill base needed for health
care practice
Long term care
Conversations
From words to action
Wrap up
Nursing
Senior

3. Laying the Context

4. Background – Nursing’s response
Professional associations
CNA
ICN
Nursing education
CASN
Nursing service
Nursing research

5. Foreground – Nursing and Seniors
We are talking about numbers, and settings of care
Heterogeneity!

6. Current state of knowledge
Health care professionals (emphasis - nurses) within the context of disasters and older adults,
What do we know?
What don’t we know?

7. Method Ebsco host data base Informal survey nursing programs
disaster nursing”, “aging” and
“disaster”
403 items – 301 – 53
Informal survey nursing programs
Informal review of web sites for degree programs for health care professions

8. Limitations English speaking journals Obtainable by reviewer
responses received

9. Findings Lessons Learned Recognizing the General but not the Specific
Acknowledging the Gap
Mosca et al (2005)
Cummings et al (2005)
Undergraduate Curricula Nursing
(Canada)
Filling the Gap
Markenson et al (2005)
Ireland et al (2006)
Where are Older Adults?
BTEPA
Hyer et al (2006)
John A. Hartford
Foundation
Lessons Learned
Pediatric emergency response team

10. Serendipitous Findings
Lack of national standards for disaster nursing
Health of the Professional
Holroyd et al (2008)
Columbia Center (2002)
Professional Associations
CNA
Nursing Emergency Preparedness
Education Coalition
Resources
Who is pulling them
together?

11. Discussion of Findings
Establishment of an information base
Specific to needs of older adults
Vulnerable older adults
LTC
Collaborative partnerships

12. Implications for Gerontological Health Care Practice
Health care professionals are generally not disaster prepared,
Clear mandate for programs of nursing,
Professional associations,
Individual self responsibility, and
Understanding the needs
of older adults / residents.

13. Knowledge and Skills needed for Gerontological Health Care Practice

14. Basic knowledge Core competencies
All gero nurses / health care practitioners require a basic level of knowledge and skills related to disaster management / emergency preparedness
Basic knowledge
Definitions & classification system for disasters
Disaster epidemiology
Areas of focus in disaster preparedness
Common challenges encountered
Core competencies
Critical thinking
Allocation of scares resources
Communication skills
Assessment skills
Rapid physical assessment / triage
Risk assessment (self)
Psychomotor skills
Gerontological specific knowledge / skills

15. Gerontological specific knowledge / skills
Health consequences
Havens and Hall (1999)
Gignac, Cott, and Bradley (2003)
Steinberg et al (2004)
Bring strength to disaster
experiences
Presence of support systems
Frederickson (2005)
Yeung and Fung (2007)
Mental health issues
Hughes et al (2007)

16. Long term Care
Special challenges

17. Conversations
From words to action

18. Another perspective on knowledge and skills acquisition
Planning for disaster prevention requires what knowledge and skills?
Respect for individuality
Concern for pets
Staff education
Registration of older adults
Procedures during a disaster that a health care professional / nurse needs to have?
First response skills
Interventions following a disaster that a health care professional / nurse needs to be able to implement
Stress counseling
Staff debriefing

19. Wrap up
Thank you