¶ … Health Care Environment that Impacts the Nursing Profession Natural Disasters

The objective of this work in writing is to examine the issue of natural environment in terms of impacts on the nursing profession in the health care environment. Questions answered in this study include the question of what steps should the nursing profession take to prepare the profession for provision of health care during natural disasters.

It is the opinion of the writer of this work that special preparations should be undertaken by those in the nursing profession to prepare them to properly assist those in the health care environment seeking treatment during such as natural disasters.

Brief Outline

Following this section in this study will be a brief introduction followed by a literature review in this area of study and next following will be an analysis of the information reviewed and then stated will be a conclusion to the study.

Introduction

Nurses are often reported to play the role of first responder when disaster occurs. However, lack in the areas of competencies combined with gaps in education result in difficulty in recruiting nurses who are prepared to respond to a disaster and provide assistance effectively. A training course is reported which is based on the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies and Global Standards for the Initial Education of Professional Nurses and Midwives. It is reported that all of the participants in the study passed the "assessments and examinations with an average score of 70%." (Sunshine, 2010) The ICN Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies was reported as instrumental in guiding curriculum development for training. The training program is such that can be utilized in preparing "generalist nurses of their nursing...

(2009) reports a study that focused on identification of perception of disaster among nurses. The study reports that 123 of 164 respondents or 75% reported a description of disaster in the open-ended question. 61%$ of participations are reported to have "described unfortunate events with large numbers of victims as disasters." (Fung, et al., 2009) The study states conclusions that Understanding how disaster is perceived by nurses and the "likelihood of disastrous events is the initial step for disaster planning and the development of a disaster nursing curriculum in Hong Kong." (Fung, et al., 2009) The study concludes all nurses worldwide should be "equipped with knowledge and skills for disaster care." (Fung, et al., 2009) Reported in the work entitled "The Importance of End-of-Life Care in Nursing Home Settings is Not Diminished by a Dias aster" states that disaster situation emphasis "is on preserving life, and this goal is both appropriate and laudable." (Omega: Journal of Death & Dying, 2009) It is reported that nursing home residents specifically are at "heightened risk for experiencing negative disaster related outcomes due to comprised physical or mental health that requires skilled nursing care. Education and training in end-of-life services for nursing home staff, disaster emergency responders, and other lay people is vital to build capacity for adapting the delivery of these services in disaster situations in the interest of equity and human rights." (Omega: Journal of Death & Dying, 2009) The work of Sebastian, et al. (2003) reports the phases of emergency management utilized by St. Luke's emergency management plan which includes the phases as follows:
(1) Mitigation -- activities to eliminate or…