Exam #3: Disaster Response Flashcards
Actual implementation of the plan. Activities used to address the event. Focuses on emergency relief: saving lives, first aid, minimizing and restoring damaged systems, care and basic life requirements for victims like food, water, and shelter.
Disaster Response
What are the phases of disaster?
- Preparedness:
proactive planning efforts, evaluating potential vulnerabilities, warning/looking for indicators - Response: implementation of the plan. focuses on emergency relief- saving lives, first aid, minimizing & restoring damaged systems, care & basic life requirements to victims-1st level of disaster response occurs at the local level
- Recovery:
focuses on stabilization & returning community to pre-impact status.-rehab, reconstitution, reconstruction-epidemiological surveillance needed - Mitigation (prevention):
measures taken to reduce harmful effects. occurs before incident & adjust plan as needed - Evaluation
what worked? what didn’t? problems, issues, challenges, quality assurance, revisions
recovery from disaster:
focuses on stabilization, a new normal
returning community to pre-impact status
rehabilitation
reconstruction
epidemiological surveillance is needed
Roles of PHN in recovery:
1. ongoing community assessment
2. community resilience
3. psychosocial support
Types/Kinds of preparedness:
Personal preparedness:
-Disaster kits for home, workplace, and car
-Plans of where to meet, who to call in your family
Professional preparedness:
-Does your place of employment have a business continuity plan?
-Does your place of employment have a disaster plan?
-Nurses can work on teams such as: National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
Community Preparedness:
-Outlining roles of local agencies
-Read and understand local disaster plans
-Role of health department is on front line of disaster prevention
-Community warning system and evacuation plans
-Emergency Management Agency (EMA) coordinates with local, state, and federal agencies
-Disaster and mass casualty exercises
-Provide the opportunity to test and update disaster plans
-Disaster management training through Red Cross
Emergency preparedness
-Planning focused on avoiding or ameliorating the risks and hazards resulting from a disaster in order to optimize population health and safety*
Natural Disasters:
Natural event that has occurred (ex: wildfires, hurricanes, etc.)
Bio-terrorism:
an intentional release of virus, bacteria, or other germs that can sicken or kill people, livestock, or crops
Stress response in responder:
-Workers at risk for stress reactions
-Vicarious traumatization
-Degree of workers’ stress depends on the nature of the disaster, their role in the disaster, individual stamina, and other environmental factors
-May not recognize the need for self-care
-Symptoms may signal need for stress management assistance
Triage in disaster situations:
emergent = red
urgent = yellow
non-urgent = green -wait
dismiss = white
expectant = black
Unlike usual triage, you treat the ones with the highest chance of survival first.
Highest priority is given to clients who have life-threatening injuries but also have a high possibility of survival once they are stabilized
emergent (red)
given to clients who have major injuries that are not yet life-threatening & usually can wait 45 to 60 min for treatment
urgent (yellow)
given to clients who have minor injuries that are not life-threatening & don’t need immediate attention
non-urgent (green-wait)
given to those with minor injuries/care not required
dismiss (white)
lowest priority is given to clients who aren’t expected to live & will be allowed to die naturally. Comfort measures may be provided, but restorative care will not
expectant (black)
infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis.
take patient histories to determine how exposure may have occurred, and order necessary diagnostic tests.
If inhalation anthrax is suspected, chest X-rays or CT scans can confirm if the patient has mediastinal widening or pleural effusion, which are X-ray findings typically seen in patients with inhalation anthrax.
Anthrax
The only ways to confirm an anthrax diagnosis are:
-To measure antibodies or toxin in blood
-To test directly for Bacillus anthracis in a sample from blood, skin lesion swab, spinal fluid, respiratory secretions
Samples must be taken before the patient begins taking antibiotics for treatment.
What is the treatment for Anthrax?
antibiotics and antitoxin. Patients with serious cases of anthrax need to be hospitalized. They may require aggressive treatment, such as continuous fluid drainage and help breathing through mechanical ventilation.
What are Cat A biological?
-various biological agents, including pathogens that are rarely seen in the United States. High-priority agents include organisms that pose a risk to national security because they:
1. Can be easily disseminated or transmitted from person to person;
2. Result in high mortality rates and have the potential for major public health impact;
3. Might cause public panic and social disruption; and
4. Require special action for public health preparedness.
What are Cat A biological agents/diseases?
Agents/Diseases
-Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
-Botulism (Clostridium botulinum toxin)
-Plague (Yersinia pestis)
-Smallpox (variola major)
-Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)
-Viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Filoviruses (Ebola, Marburg) and Arenaviruses (Lassa, Machupo)
Primary prevention of BT
Preparation with bioterrorism drills, vaccines, and ensuring availability of antibiotics for exposure prophylaxis
-bioterrorism planning
Secondary prevention of BT
-Early recognition
-Activation of bioterrorism response plan in response to bioterrorism event
-Immediate implementation of infection control and containment measures, including decontamination, environmental disinfection, protective equipment, community education/notification, and quarantines
-Screening the population for exposure, assessing rates of infection, and administering vaccines as available
-Assisting with and educating the population regarding symptom identification and management (immunoglobulin, antiviral, antitoxins, and antibiotic therapy, depending on the agent)
-Monitoring mortality and morbidity
Tertiary prevention of BT
-Rehabilitation of survivors
-Monitoring medication regimens and referrals
-Evaluating the effectiveness and timeliness of the bioterrorism plan
