NRS 428 Watch the “Diary of Medical Mission Trip” videos dealing with the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010
NRS 428 Watch the “Diary of Medical Mission Trip” videos dealing with the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010
NRS 428 Watch the “Diary of Medical Mission Trip” videos dealing with the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010
Nursing interventions are the actual acts and treatments undertaken to assist patients in achieving their predetermined goals (Blutcher, Bulecheck, Doctterman & Wagner, 2018). The most beneficial therapies for patients are chosen by nurses based on their critical thinking skills and expertise. Based on the 2010 Haitian earthquake, there are three degrees of nursing intervention that may be used during and after a catastrophe.
Primary prevention would come under the preimpact phase, and interventions would include conducting exercises, reviewing policy and procedure to be followed in a disaster, planning and preparing for the catastrophe, and ensuring hospitals are well prepared and have backup generators. The national organization or government may be engaged in ensuring that homes are earthquake-resistant via the use of heavier materials such as bricks. Secondary prevention tries to lessen the effect of a previously occurring sickness or damage (CDC 2021). This is accomplished by diagnosing and treating sickness or damage as soon as feasible to stop or limit its course, and by adopting programs that restore individuals to their previous health and function to avoid long-term issues. This pertains to the impact phase that happens during the event. Interventions include of analyzing the projected damage, establishing the necessary number of medical personnel and emergency responders, delivering intravenous fluids, and administering antibiotics. Tertiary prevention tries to mitigate the lingering consequences of a continuing sickness or injury (CDC). This would be the post-impact period, when the immediate threat has subsided. Physical therapy and rehabilitation interventions incorporating religious groups and counselors. Local government debriefing and reevaluation of disaster and emergency preparation for budget review.
The three actions recommended come within the rebuilding phase. According to Neal (2017), the rebuilding phase often includes a feeling of total recovery after a calamity. Individuals and communities begin to assume responsibility for returning their lives to normality. Also, individuals are adapting to a new life after experiencing loss. Neal believes that the rebuilding phase starts around the time of the disaster’s anniversary and continues for some years thereafter.
American Red Cross is an organization with which I collaborate to allow the suggested activities. This agency is a multinational organization working to mitigate the effects of natural catastrophes worldwide. Thus, the agencies can assist me effectively in facilitating activities in Haiti.
Reference:
Coppola, D. P. (2016). International disaster management overview. Elsevier.
Blutcher, H.K., Bulecheck, G. M., Doctterman, J. M. M., & Wagner, G. M. (2018). Electronic book on nursing interventions categories (NIC). The Elsevier Health Sciences journal.
Neal, David M. (2017). Examining the stages of natural catastrophes. 15(2), 239-264, International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters.
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In the context of disaster preparedness and management, primary prevention (pre-impact phase) refers to the planning done prior to the disaster, secondary prevention (impact phase) refers to the phase of emergency response to the disaster, and tertiary prevention (post-impact phase) refers to the recovery phase (Falkner et al.).
Primary prevention
Reflecting on the earthquake that devastated Haiti, the country could have improved its primary prevention by being more prepared to respond to natural disasters. As identified by the author of the diary entries, the hospital was unprepared and unequipped by lacking supplies and equipment to provide essential services. For example, the hospital was unable perform x-rays because though the hospital had x-ray film, it did not have an x-ray machine. X-ray was a huge need due to so many injuries sustained from the earthquake (Diary of a Medical Mission Trip). Public health nurses can work collaboratively with hospitals of the community to ensure emergency and disaster planning and preparedness are completed, and plans are updated regularly. Supplies and equipment for essential services should be kept in reserve for emergency response needs. This process takes place in the pre-impact phase of disaster (Falkner et al.).
Secondary prevention
In the response to the disaster in Haiti, secondary prevention was carried out by rescuing people from the rubble, triaging the patients and their injuries, providing first aid and other direct patient care, providing food and water to the people, and locating/retrieving supplies that were desperately needed by the medical teams. In secondary prevention, the impact phase of disaster, the public health nurse’s role is to provide care and support in any way that is needed. Nurses do this by providing all of these interventions listed above. During this phase the public health nurse will work closely with the local health care facilities, local health care providers, local emergency medical services, local law enforcement, and disaster management organizations such as the American Red Cross (Falkner et al.).
Tertiary prevention
Tertiary prevention, or the post-impact phase, was carried out in Haiti through community clean-up efforts, structural repairs, supporting injured individuals through rehabilitation, and providing mental health and spiritual care support as applicable. Another focus of this phase is to evaluate the effectiveness of phases one and two, identify areas needing improvement, and then update and improve the emergency/disaster management plan accordingly (Falkner et al.). To do this, the public health nurse would again work collaboratively with the local health care facilities, local health care providers, local emergency medical services, and local law enforcement. Public health nurses could even receive help and support from disaster management organizations such as the American Red Cross.
References
Falkner, A. (n.d.). Chapter 5 Disaster Management. In Community and Public Health: The Future of Health Care. essay. Retrieved July 19, 2022, from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs427vn/community-and-public-health-the-future-of-health-care/v1.1/#/chapter/4.
Grand Canyon University. (n.d.). Diary of a Medical Mission Trip. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs427v/diary-of-medical-mission-trip/v2.1/.
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The earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 was the most devastating natural disaster the county has ever seen. According to CNN, the earthquake that was recorded has a magnitude of 7.0, killing 220,00-300,000 people and left about 300,000 people injured. The fact that the country was not prepared for such an event, left Haiti in shambles with barely nothing to help with the aftermath. $13.34 billion in aid was allocated by international agencies for 2010-2020, according to the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti (CNN, 2021). During a disaster, a nurses role is to help where help may be needed. This can be triaging patients, direct patient care, and offering support where support might be needed. But, while doing so, a nurse cannot put aside their safety for the sake of others. They must understand that their safety and health is just as important. Primary prevention in disaster management involves planning prior to the occurrence or onset of a disaster event Falkner, A., 2018). This means having a plan in place for when the disaster happens and making sure families and communities are aware of their resources prior to the disaster happening. During this phase, the nurse can educate the community on evaluation plans, taking shelter, and how to properly be prepared for a disaster. Secondary prevention may occur when the onset of the disaster has occurred or within hours of its impact; this is when response occurs during a disaster (Falkner, A., 2018). The priority is safety and survival during the response phase and occurs when it is necessary to evacuate or, if more appropriate, find and take shelter. During the secondary phase, they nurse can help community members seek shelter by guiding them in the correct directions, and providing them with any sort of immediate treatment they can provide amongst the chaos. Tertiary prevention occurs after the offending event has ceased and the focus is on recovery (Falkner, A., 2018). The tertiary and recovery phases may last weeks, months, or even years and involves property damage recuperation, physical rehabilitation of those injured, mental illness evaluation and treatment, planning for future disasters, and financial recuperation (Falkner, A., 2018). During this phase the nurse will provide support to the victims, assist in medical treatments, and provide comfort and understanding to the communities. They can also provide education on how to cope with such a dramatic experience. These intervention cannot be categorized into one phase of a disaster, because they are all related to different parts of an emergency during a natural disaster. All interventions for the primary phase can be categorized under the preparedness phase of a disaster. The preparedness phase includes all the planning and education the goes into being ready for when disaster happens. The secondary phase is categorized under the response phase of a disaster, which is when the disaster is actually happening. Last but not least the tertiary phase can be categorized under the recovery phase, in which all interventions that are being performed, relate to helping the community after the disaster has happened. One of the best organizations to work with during a disaster is the Red Cross. The Red Cross is an organization that directly helps with areas that have been affected by huge disasters. They provide much needed assistance to the wounded and to rebuilding the area.
References:
Falkner, A. (Ed). (2018). Community & public health: The future of health care. https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs427vn/community-and-public-health-the-future-of-health-care/v1.1/
CNN (December 24, 2021). Haiti Earthquake Fast Facts. Retrieved on July 22, 2022, from https://www.cnn.com/2013/12/12/world/haiti-earthquake-fast-facts/index.html