Think About It-Website Exploration
The
National Center for Disease Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH) website had
great information and resources related to natural disasters and infectious
diseases. I specifically looked at information regarding influenza outbreaks,
mass gatherings & explosions, and earthquakes because these are the most
likely situations to affect me. While reading through the materials, I learned
several things I had not even previously thought of. For example,
there are standardized steps to take when an unaccompanied minor is found after
a disaster like an earthquake. Another example includes how to talk to a child
after a bombing or an explosion. I remember the fear I felt after 9/11 and it
was nice to have supportive adults to talk to. With the rise of social media
since then, it is more important than ever before to know how to talk to
children about traumatic events. Furthermore, I learned there is significant
public health planning prior to a mass gathering. Mass gatherings for an event
like the Super Bowl can dramatically increase infectious disease transmission
and tax local resources. Having a website like the NCDMPH is extremely useful
for all healthcare professionals, not just those in public health, in order to
learn how to prevent and prepare, as well as mitigate the effects from an event.
However, many of the links were broken suggesting the website is not regularly
maintained.
The
disaster healthcare volunteer site is a wonderful idea to help connect local
personnel during a disaster. Within my county specifically, there is a unit called Medical Volunteers for Disaster Response (MVDR). MVDR has three main objectives: to assist in medical/health emergencies and mass casualties, as well as participate in community outreach to raise awareness. Several modules have inspired me over the course
of this semester, but I feel extremely compelled to volunteer as a disaster
relief provider after reading through the materials in this module. It seems to
be the perfect combination of my professions (nursing and public health). One
easy way to start this journey could be to volunteer via this website. I'd also
be interested in further trainings related to disaster response. Notably,
hospitals should also use this concept as a model so they can easily identify
staff who live close and would be willing to work extra shifts during times of
disaster. This is another way we can prepare as healthcare professionals.
References
https://ncdmph.usuhs.edu/KnowledgeLearning/2012-Learning1.htm
http://ncdmph.usuhs.edu/Learn/PedsTR/images/cards/USUHS_TR_card_detailed.pdf
http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/talking_to_children_about_the_bombing.pdf
https://disaster.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/massgatherings.html#a3
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/ems/Pages/mvdr.aspx
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/ems/Pages/mvdr.aspx
Hey Elena,
ReplyDeleteI am glad to see that there are specific protocols that are set forth to handle very specific issues, such as talking to an unaccompanied minor after a natural disaster. I recall having to take numerous FEMA trainings as a paramedic, in which I had to learn such things. However, a simple training can never really prepare you for the real thing.