Remembering Nurses Who Go Above and Beyond as Volunteers

By Shawn Kennedy, AJN editor-in-chief

A severely dehydrated patient receives iv fluids from Kari Jones, MD, as she is carried by a family member from triage to a tent at the Bercy CTC. Photo courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse. A severely dehydrated patient receives IV fluids from Kari Jones, MD, as she is carried by a family member from triage to a tent at the Bercy CTC. Photo courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse.

So another Nurses Week winds down and many nurses have been acknowledged for the fine work they do. But I think more recognition should be given to nurses who go above and beyond their usual nursing work and volunteer to help those in dire circumstances. This month in AJN, one of the two CE articles is called “Responding to the Cholera Epidemic in Haiti.” It details the work of one organization and its nurses. Here’s the overview:

While Haiti was still recovering from the January 12, 2010, magnitude-7 earthquake, an outbreak of cholera spread throughout the nation, soon reaching epidemic proportions. Working through the faith-based nongovernmental organization Samaritan’s Purse, an NP, an epidemiologist, and a physician joined the effort to prevent the spread of disease and treat those affected. Here they describe the prevention and intervention campaigns their organization initiated, how they prepared for each, and the essential elements of their operations.

The article provides essential information about such topics as setting up cholera treatment centers, assessment, rehydration priorities, prevention, enlisting […]

Japan Earthquake Aftermath: What Nurses Need to Know About Radiation Exposure

Airborne radioactive material can have an effe...

By Maureen Shawn Kennedy, editor-in-chief

The pictures are horrifying. First a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, then a tsunami, and now the Japanese people are perilously close to another disaster from radiation leaking from damaged nuclear power plants.

The death toll, already in the thousands, possibly tens of thousands, will undoubtedly climb without the intervention from disaster relief organizations, which may be reluctant to send their responders into areas with high radiation. After its ships and crew were exposed to radiation from a leaking reactor (the New York Times reported that the deck crew on the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan was exposed to radiation that “caused them to receive a month’s worth of radiation in about an hour”), the U.S. Navy repositioned its ships further off the coast of Japan as a precaution, and is conducting relief operations from the north, away from the wind currents.

There’s been much discussion in the media about the effects of radiation, what levels are harmful, etc, and nurses may indeed receive questions from patients or families with members participating in relief efforts. Here are two articles from AJN that will help you answer questions (they’ll be free until April 18):

Here’s an excerpt from the first of these two articles:

PATIENT DECONTAMINATION
• Remove the patient’s clothing and dress him in
scrubs or a gown.
• […]

CDC Guidance for Relief Workers and Others Traveling to Haiti

This notice is to advise relief workers and other personnel traveling to Haiti to assist with the humanitarian response following the January 12th earthquake near Port-au-Prince. Conditions in the area remain hazardous, including extensive damage to buildings, roads, and other infrastructure.

The above is the start of a guidance document for relief workers heading to Haiti that is now available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site. It gives useful information on recommended vaccines; insect-borne and other infectious diseases; key items to bring; safety precautions related to accident risk, exposure to human remains, and animals; and psychological and emotional difficulties.

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2016-11-21T13:19:46-05:00January 28th, 2010|Nursing|0 Comments

Essential Reading for Nurses Responding to Disasters

Many nurses are volunteering their services to assist the residents of Haiti following the earthquake. The magnitude of the damages and injuries will require a sustained disaster relief effort. AJN has compiled a list of our articles with useful information for nurses participating in any disaster relief effort. Given the current urgency of this issue, we have made all articles free. We hope you’ll take a look and pass along anything you find informative or helpful.

For example, our Disaster Care article back in December dealt with the often-overlooked physiologic and psychosocial needs of children in public health emergencies. These can be very different from those of adults.

(And if, by some chance, you’ve actually had any experiences working in Florida or in Haiti with the victims of this earthquake, please let us know what skills and knowledge you’ve found most crucial.) 

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Praise for Haiti Nurse Volunteers–And a Word of Caution

Shawn Kennedy, MA, RN, interim editor-in-chief

As has happened many times before, nurses have stepped up to the plate in volunteering their services in the wake of the devastating Haitian earthquake. The California Nurses Association reported several days ago on its Web site that nearly 7,500 nurses had responded to a call by National Nurses United for volunteers. Nurses are also integral in the ranks of Médecins Sans Frontières , the International Rescue Committee, federal disaster response teams, and of course the American Red Cross.

What nurses should not do is take it upon themselves to fly to Haiti without being connected to an organized disaster group. Independent volunteers can create more problems and end up becoming consumers of disaster services instead of providers. As we noted in an AJN news article shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks, “Because of the potential for injuries on site and subsequent health problems and stress syndromes, it’s essential that personnel location and hours spent at the scene be carefully monitored. Proper disaster management safeguards the lives of both victims and rescuers.”

Many first responders to the September 11 attacks subsequently developed respiratory problems; many suffered from depression. Many of these people had access to health care and counseling because they were monitored and registered and periodically assessed for postevent sequelae. But there were many “ad hoc” volunteers, who just showed up, without equipment, disaster training, or support. One wonders how many of these laudable volunteers […]

2016-11-21T13:20:00-05:00January 21st, 2010|Nursing|4 Comments
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