Disaster in Franklin County
JM
Western Governors University
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Disaster in Franklin
County
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The Role of Health Personnel and the Public Health Nurse
Public health personnel and public health nurses have many responsibilities in a disaster that are essential to a successful outcome for the community. Their primarily focus is on the safety and health of the public. The health personnel will assess the community’s available resources by providing the necessary assistance and identifying their specific needs related to the disaster. The health care personnel also have the role of educating the community and addressing any physical or psychosocial needs the community might have …show more content…
Disaster in Franklin
County
3
The public nurse’s role during a disaster involves helping patients in the emergency shelter for first-aid skills and administering medication. However more emphasis is being placed on population-based public health and disaster preparedness. Public health nurses have gained an increased knowledge about the community’s baseline health status, demographics, environment and exciting resources. Public health nurses now have an awareness of vulnerable populations in the community, who may be at risk in times of disasters. This includes the elderly, disabled, mental illness and non-speaking English residents (Berman, Erb, Kozier, & Synder
2006).
The public health nurse will conduct door to door interviews. This is performed to complete a community assessment to determine who requires medical attention, who has any special needs, such as essential medications and medical equipment (oxygen, nebulizer, and dialysis) and if the community has sanitary food and water. The nurse must also provide imperative education to help keep the public safe, such as providing information about the …show more content…
A social worker can help individuals who are experiencing problems associated with housing, unemployment and finances. A social worker can also refer individuals suffering from emotional distress to a counselor. An environmental Health Specialist can help maintain a safe environment by identifying potential environmental problems such as a gas leak or chemical spill. They can help educate the community on safety hazards and find solutions to eliminate any threat to the public by monitoring any possible dangers or environmental threats to the community (Disaster in Franklin
County a Public Health Simulation, 2006).
The American Red Cross can provide many resources that can help ease the community’s suffering caused by a disaster. The American Red Cross offers a great deal of emergency assistance such as shelters, cleaning supplies, comfort kits, first aid, food, clothing home repairs, household items, medical supplies, emergency transportation and etc. The American Red Cross can also provide referrals to the government and other agencies providing disaster