Disaster, Bioterrorism, Environmental Health Flashcards
What are the phases of the disaster management cycle?
Mitigation, preparation, response, recovery
Mitigation
Capacity building, prevention, preventing or minimizing risks related to a disaster, identifying risks and taking action to prevent or reduce the risks of a disaster.
Nurse’s role in mitigation
Community assessment, identifying risks, developing plans, reducing risks, public policy, and education.
What is the most critical phase of disaster management?
Preparation
Preparation
Pre-impact. Warnings, recruiting volunteers, training and equipping
What is the priority in preparation?
Planning and readiness
What is the role of the nurse in preparation?
Policy, communication, obtaining equipment and supplies, training, sheltering, first-aid, and emergency.
Response
The immediate action in the face of a disaster (after the event). Mobilization of responders, saving as many lives as possible, providing for immediate needs of survivors, and reducing long term impact.
In what phase of disaster management do you reduce the long-term impact?
Response
Role of the nurse in response
Providing physical and mental healthcare, triage, managing resources, infection control, and monitoring.
Recovery and rehabilitation
Assisting the community and the affected population, restoring vital services, rebuilding infrastructure and housing, long-term process with short and long-term goals.
Role of the nurse in recovery and rehabilitation
Continued care and support, monitoring, referrals, assist with reestablishing infrastructure, evaluation that leads to changes in prevention.
What are considerations for vulnerable or special populations during a disaster?
Basic supplies, medicine and medical equipment, assistive devices, pets, literacy and language, transportation for evacuation or to shelters, shelters or sheltering in place.
What are the components of an environmental exposure assessment?
IPREPRARE I: Investigate possible exposures P: Present work R: Residence E: Environmental concerns P: Past work A: Activities R: Referrals and Recourse E: Educate
What are the components of risk communication?
Risk: characterize the hazard, mode of transmission, exposure, dose, magnitude, and probability.
Risk communication: Disseminating information to create action, ensuring safety, preventing harm, and reducing unnecessary fear.
Components: Building trust before an event, planning, right information, right people, right time.
What are opportunities in which nursing interventions could decrease harmful environmental influences on health?
Case management: optimizing self-care and the capacity of systems to coordinate and provide services.
Health teaching: communicate facts, ideas, and skills
Advocacy: pleading case on someone else’s behalf
Levels of prevention: primary (reduce environmental hazards), secondary (monitor for signs of hazards), tertiary (how to protect from further harm)
Bioterrorism
Deliberate release of bacteria, virus, or other agents used to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants.
What is recommended in an emergency preparedness kit?
3 day supply of: water (1 gallon per person per day), food, radio, flashlight, first-aid kit, batteries, whistle, dust mask, duct tape, moist towlettes, garbage bags, plastic ties, wrench or pliers, can opener, masks, cell phones.
Category A Bioterrorism Agent
High-priority agents that include organisms or toxins that pose the most risk to the public and national security. Can be easily spread or transmitted from person to person. Result in high death rates and have the potential for a major public health impact. Might cause public panic and social disruption. Require special action for public health preparedness.
Category C Bioterrorism Agent
Third highest priority agents, emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass spread in the future. Easily available, easily produced and spread, potential for high morbidity and mortality rates and major health impacts.