PAGE 2 DISASTER

Capably in healthcare leadership roles during disasters. Nursing leadership ay be pro!ided

throught estabilished leadership roles or throught the spontaneous assuption o" a leadership
role by a nurse identi"ying and ta#ing action to sol!e a particular proble.
Nurses$ there"ore$ should be %ell&prepared "or their potential role in a disaster setting
and should participate in all phases o" a disaster to the "ullness o" their capabilities.
DISASTERS
During disaster e!ents$ people ay be %ithout po%er$ shelter$ counication$ "ood and %ater.
Eergency response capabilitiescan 'uic#ly becoe o!erheled due to the agnitude o" the
daage. In(ured ebers o" the counity ay be unable to "ind transportation to healthcare
"acilities as the local eergency edical ser!ice )E*S+ ay not be able to gain access to
!ictis or ay be o!er%heled by the sheer ass o" those in need. ,ealthcare "acilities ay
be daage directly during the ipact and be unable to pro!ide eergencyser!ices$ or they
ay need to be a!acuated. Those healthcare "acilities that reain operational soon becoe
inundated %ith ore arri!ing patients than they ha!e the sta"" or space to anage.
The e!ents$ typically$ are called --disasters-- by the edia and by the a""ected
counity. ,o%e!er$ any o" these e!ents are ore accurately classi"ied as an acident or an
eergency resources$ though potentially o!erhel initially$ are able to 'uic#ly anage the
situation %ithout re'uiring resources "ro other counities.
Disasters are e!ents that in"lict signi"icant daage to li"e or property and that
substantially o!erhel theh local counity-s resources. In soe cases$ the agnitude o" the
daage can e!en pre!ent the counity "ro responding.
HEALTCARE DISASTERS
Considering the increasing population density and escalating de!elopent in disaster&prone
areas$ the potential o" disasters to ipact health care is gro%ing. A healthcare disaster is
de"ined as ./a precipitous or gradual decline in the o!er all health status o" a counity %ith
%hich it is unable to cope %ith ade'uately %ithout outside assistance./
,ealthcare disasters in!ol!e a "ailure o" the noral pro!ision o" healthcare. This ay
be caused by direct daage to healthcare "acilities or by the large in"lu0 o" patients during a
disasters that o!erhel the e0isting healthcare ser!ices and re'uires outside assistance.
Althought opinions di""er regarding classi"ying e!ents such as ared con"licts or ongoing
huanitarian crises as disasters$ they also can result in conditions that liit or pre!ent the
deli!ery o" health care.