Society for the Advancement of Disaster Nursing: Exploring the Path to Excellence

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 641-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Proffitt Lavin ◽  
Deborah S. Adelman ◽  
Tener Goodwin Veenema
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Professional Organization ◽  
Scope Of Practice ◽  
Service Needs ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Mass Casualty Events ◽  
Professional Credibility

AbstractObjectiveMajor disasters occurring within the Unites States require nursing participation as a component of a successful response. Disaster nursing includes the care of populations affected by disasters, public health emergencies, and mass casualty events, both natural and man-made. A unique knowledge base, abilities, and skills are needed to respond appropriately to health care and human service needs resulting from these events.MethodsDespite prior efforts to advance disaster nursing as a specialty, none were sustainable and a professional framework for establishing standards and guidelines remains lacking.ResultsDisaster nursing is a complex arena where the intersection of competence, scope of practice, regulation, and clinical guidelines continues to evolve. Professional credibility and our contribution to disaster response lie in our ability to articulate and advance professionalism. Disaster nursing as a specialty practice requires a similar foundational framework to nursing specialties recognized by the American Nurses Association within a model of professional practice in order to ensure population outcomes that are reflective of safe, quality, evidence-based practice.ConclusionsIt is time to define a disaster nursing scope of practice, establish standards for care, identify best practices, and pursue the establishment of an independent professional organization within the field of disaster nursing. This will establish the necessary foundation for optimizing nursing’s contribution to and support of the National Health Security Strategy. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:641–646)

Altered Standards of Care During an Influenza Pandemic: Identifying Ethical, Legal, and Practical Principles to Guide Decision Making

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (S2) ◽  
pp. S132-S140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Levin ◽  
Rebecca Orfaly Cadigan ◽  
Paul D. Biddinger ◽  
Suzanne Condon ◽  
Howard K. Koh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
State Level ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Standards Of Care ◽  
Public Health Preparedness ◽  
Community Stakeholders ◽  
Mass Casualty Events ◽  
Public Health Officials

ABSTRACTAlthough widespread support favors prospective planning for altered standards of care during mass casualty events, the literature includes few, if any, accounts of groups that have formally addressed the overarching policy considerations at the state level. We describe the planning process undertaken by public health officials in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, along with community and academic partners, to explore the issues surrounding altered standards of care in the event of pandemic influenza. Throughout 2006, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Harvard School of Public Health Center for Public Health Preparedness jointly convened a working group comprising ethicists, lawyers, clinicians, and local and state public health officials to consider issues such as allocation of antiviral medications, prioritization of critical care, and state seizure of private assets. Community stakeholders were also engaged in the process through facilitated discussion of case scenarios focused on these and other issues. The objective of this initiative was to establish a framework and some fundamental principles that would subsequently guide the process of establishing specific altered standards of care protocols. The group collectively identified 4 goals and 7 principles to guide the equitable allocation of limited resources and establishment of altered standards of care protocols. Reviewing and analyzing this process to date may serve as a resource for other states. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2009;3(Suppl 2):S132–S140)

scholarly journals The Stellenbosch Consensus on Legal National Responses to Public Health Risks

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-68
Author(s):  
Roojin Habibi ◽  
Steven J. Hoffman ◽  
Gian Luca Burci ◽  
Thana Cristina de Campos ◽  
Danwood Chirwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Global Health ◽  
International Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Vienna Convention ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
The Face ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

Abstract The International Health Regulations (ihr), of which the World Health Organization is custodian, govern how countries collectively promote global health security, including prevention, detection, and response to global health emergencies such as the ongoing covid-19 pandemic. Countries are permitted to exercise their sovereignty in taking additional health measures to respond to such emergencies if these measures adhere to Article 43 of this legally binding instrument. Overbroad measures taken during recent public health emergencies of international concern, however, reveal that the provision remains inadequately understood. A shared understanding of the measures legally permitted by Article 43 is a necessary step in ensuring the fulfillment of obligations, and fostering global solidarity and resilience in the face of future pandemics. In this consensus statement, public international law scholars specializing in global health consider the legal meaning of Article 43 using the interpretive framework of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

scholarly journals Rapid urban health security assessment tool: a new resource for evaluating local-level public health preparedness

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. e002606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R Boyce ◽  
Rebecca Katz
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Urban Health ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Security Assessment ◽  
Direct Function ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Sustainable Capacity

Urbanisation will be one of the defining demographic trends of the 21st century—creating unique opportunities for sustainable capacity development, as well as substantial risks and challenges for managing public health and health emergencies. Plans and policies for responding to public health emergencies are generally framed at higher levels of governance, but developing, improving and sustaining the capacities necessary for implementing these policies is a direct function of local-level authorities. Evaluating local-level public health capacities is an important process for identifying strengths and weaknesses that can impact the preparedness for, detection of and response to health security threats. However, while various evaluations and assessments exist for evaluating capacities at other levels, currently, there are no readily available health security assessments for the local-level. In this paper, we describe a tool—the Rapid Urban Health Security Assessment (RUHSA) Tool—that is based on a variety of other relevant assessments and guidance documents. Assessing capacities allow for local-level authorities to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their local health security systems, create multiyear action plans and prioritise opportunities for improving capacities, effectively engage with development partners to target resources effectively and develop compelling narratives and a legacy of leadership. While the RUHSA Tool was not designed to be used in the midst of a public health emergency, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it may also be adapted to inform a checklist for prioritising what capacities and activities a city needs to rapidly develop or to help focus requests for assistance.

scholarly journals (P1-21) Medical Disaster Relief after the 2009 American Samoan Tsunami: Lessons Learned

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s105-s106
Author(s):  
R. Partridge ◽  
D.B. Bouslough ◽  
L. Proano ◽  
S. Soliai-lemusu ◽  
F. Avegalio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
American Samoa ◽  
Flood Damage ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
American Samoan ◽  
Post Disaster

BackgroundTsunamis most commonly occur in the “Ring of fire” in the Pacific due to frequency of earthquakes and volcanic activity. Damaging tsunamis occur 1–2 times yearly. On September 29, 2009, an earthquake on the Pacific floor caused a tsunami that struck American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga, with only 20 minutes warning.ObjectiveTo evaluate the disaster response in American Samoa by emergency medical services (EMS), the territorial hospital, and the Department of Health.MethodsA retrospective review of EMS logs, public health records, hospital emergency department charts, and key-informant interviews over a 2-week period. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate data.ResultsThree 5-meter waves struck the American Samoan islands, with land inundation as far as 700 meters. Many low- lying villages, including the capital city Pago Pago were affected. A total of 33 people (8 male, 23 female, including 3 children) were killed by the water, with approximately 150 significantly injured. EMS runs increased 250% from normal daily averages, with island-wide responses significantly delayed by flood damage. The hospital in Pago Pago, situated near the shore and only 10 meters above sea level, utilized 75 staff to evacuate 68 in-patients to high ground as soon as tremors were felt. This process was completed in 20 minutes with no associated morbidity or mortality. Patient injury patterns for the event are similar to recent literature reports. Mobile clinics and alternate care sites established at outlying dispensaries were used to decentralize healthcare from the hospital. DMAT/DMORT teams from Oregon and Hawaii supported local healthcare initiatives. Post-disaster public health surveillance focused on identifying and limiting food/water-borne illnesses, dengue fever, and influenza-like-illness outbreaks, as well as disaster related PTSD.ConclusionThe disaster response to the tsunami in American Samoa was effective. Disaster planning was appropriate and rapidly implemented. Post-disaster public health emergencies were minimized.

scholarly journals Financial Assistance for Health Security: Effects of International Financial Assistance on Capacities for Preventing, Detecting, and Responding to Public Health Emergencies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Boyce ◽  
Mark J. Meyer ◽  
John D. Kraemer ◽  
Rebecca Katz
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Capacity Development ◽  
Financial Assistance ◽  
Security Assessment ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Assessment Scores ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Distributed Lag ◽  
Over Time

Background: Health security funding is intended to improve capacities for preventing, detecting, and responding to public health emergencies. Recent years have witnessed substantial increases in the amounts of donor financial assistance to health security from countries, philanthropies, and other development partners. To date, no work has examined the effects of assistance on health security capacity development over time. This paper presents an analysis of the time-lagged effects of assistance for health security on levels of capacity. Methods: We collected publicly available health security assessment scores published between 2010 and 2019 and data relating to financial assistance for health security. Using validated methods, we rescaled assessment scores on analogous scales to enable comparison and binned them in quartiles. We then used a distributed lag model in a Bayesian ordinal regression framework to assess the effects of assistance for health security on capacity development over time. Results: Strong evidence exists for associations between financial assistance and select capacities on a variety of lagged time intervals. Financial assistance had positive effects on zoonotic disease capacities in the year it was disbursed, and positive effects on legislation, laboratory, workforce, and risk communication capacities one year after disbursal. Financial assistance had negative effects on laboratory and emergency response capacities two years after it was disbursed. Financial assistance did not have measurable effects on coordination, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, biosafety, surveillance, or response preparedness capacities over the timeframe considered. Conclusions: Financial assistance for health security is associated with positive effects for several core health security capacities. However, for the majority of capacities, levels of funding were not significantly associated with capacity level, though we cannot fully exclude endogeneity. Future work should continue to investigate these relationships in different contexts and examine other factors that may contribute to capacity development.

Deploying and using volunteer health practitioners in response to emergencies: Proposed uniform state legislation provides liability protections and workers’ compensation coverage

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michealle Carpenter, JD ◽  
James G. Hodge, Jr, JD, LLM ◽  
Raymond P. Pepe, AB, JD
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Health Practitioner ◽  
Workers Compensation ◽  
Public Health Services ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Uniform State ◽  
Essential Public Health Services ◽  
Health Practitioners

To respond effectively to natural disasters and other public health emergencies, government resources must be augmented with the resources of volunteer organizations. Governmental actors are prepared to utilize volunteer health practitioners (VHPs) to meet patient surge capacity and provide essential public health services. However, difficult legal challenges arise regarding licensure, the scope of practice of volunteers, the relationship of volunteers to local healthcare delivery systems, disciplinary enforcement, the extent of exposure to civil liability, and how to provide compensation for volunteers injured or killed during disaster response activities. The Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioner Act (UEVHPA) seeks to address these problems and provide a better legal environment that facilitates VHPs efforts.This article discusses two important provisions of the UEVHPA, Section 11 which provides immunity against claims for negligence, under certain circumstances, for volunteers and organizations engaged in the deployment and use of volunteers, and Section 12 which provides workers’ compensation benefits to VHPs when other sources of coverage are not available. Disaster relief organizations and healthcare provider organizations have consistently identified uncertainty and a lack of uniformity with respect to these issues as a major source of concern to volunteer practitioners and as a potential deterrent to their effective recruitment and utilization. Uniform state enactment of the UEVHPA would resolve many inconsistencies and gaps in the regulation and protection of VHPs across states.

Palliative care in mass casualty events with scarce resources

2015 ◽  
pp. 823-834
Author(s):  
Anne Wilkinson ◽  
Marianne Matzo
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Current Level ◽  
Emergency Nursing ◽  
Scarce Resources ◽  
Mass Casualty Events ◽  
Mass Casualty Event ◽  
Response Plan

The purpose of this chapter is to offer an introduction to the topic of disaster response/emergency nursing and the role palliative care can play during a mass casualty event (MCE) for vulnerable populations not normally addressed in usual disaster planning and response. This chapter examines issues associated with providing medical care under MCE circumstances of scarce resources; the current level of preparation of nurses to respond in these emergencies; the role for palliative care in the support of individuals not expected to survive; and recommendations of specific actions for a coordinated disaster response plan.

Nursing Scope of Practice Issues in Public Health Emergencies

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 13-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Pat Couig ◽  
Karey A. Johnson ◽  
Suzanne Thorne-Odem ◽  
Cathy Rick
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Scope Of Practice ◽  
Public Health Emergencies

scholarly journals Public health event communication under the International Health Regulations (2005) in the Western Pacific Region, September 2006-January 2017

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 19-26
Author(s):  
Xi Li ◽  
Ailan Li
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
International Health ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
Western Pacific Region ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Health Regulations ◽  
The Western Pacific

Highlights • The International Health Regulations, or IHR (2005), establishes timely communication between the World Health Organization (WHO) and Member States to manage acute public health events and protect health security. Experiences of the WHO IHR contact point for the Western Pacific Region demonstrated the communication mechanism has achieved its functions in the Region. • Investment in IHR communication as part of the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies (APSED III) during peaceful times between public health emergencies builds capacity, confidence and trust in information sharing during emergencies. • IHR communication is integral to the national, regional and global epidemic intelligence and risk assessments system. • Regular simulation exercises (for example, IHR Exercise Crystal) play an important role in testing and strengthening IHR communication. • IHR communication continues to be vital for Member States and WHO Country Offices to advise on health security

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