Abstract
This issue of Workplace Health & Safety contains a Continuing Nursing Education Module on “Emergency Preparedness Policy and Practice in Massachusetts Hospitals: A Case Study” 1.0 contact hour of continuing nursing education credit will be awarded by AAOHN upon successful completion of the posttest and evaluation.
A certificate will be awarded when the following requirements are met by the participant: (1) Participant logs on to the AAOHN LMS website at www.aaohn.org/education/online-learning-center and enrolls in the course ($10 members; $15 non-members); (2) The completed posttest and course evaluation are entered online at at http://www.aaohn.org by March 2019;(3) A score of 75% (6 correct answers) is achieved by the participant.
Upon completion of this lesson, the occupational health nurse will be able to:
Discuss lessons learned from a case study of hospitals’ emergency preparedness
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. is an Approved Provider of continuing nursing education by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc., an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. is additionally approved as a CNE provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing (#CEP9283).
Contact hours received for successful completion of the posttest and evaluation may be used for relicensure, certification, and re-certification.
The article describes responses to a questionnaire sent to occupational health nurses working in hospitals. The examination of hospital preparedness was limited to the perspective of hospital administrators. The study used a qualitative descriptive approach to examine emergency preparedness policy and practice in Massachusetts hospitals. This case study replicated previous research done in a different state.
A series of tornados hit the same region in the Midwest in 1998 The terrorist attack of 9/11/2001 The avian flu epidemic of 2009 Japan’s earthquake and tsunami damaged a nuclear power plant
The American Hospital Association (AHA) The American Public Health Association (APHA) US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The Institute of Medicine’s Systems Framework for Catastrophic Disaster Response The authors’ model for qualitative research AAOHN’s Guide to Disaster Response Massachusetts Departments of Health Services and Public Safety
Review of state and federal policies, programs, and directives Interviews with key informants Evidence-based policy literature relative to hospital emergency preparedness Interviews with state and local politicians
Training Funding Hierarchy Communication
ICS common language, common roles, and chain of command contribute to better response among all partners. Since ICS training is provided in hospitals, it is not necessary for nursing curricula to include emergency preparedness training for nurses of the future. Emergency preparedness is something to be trained for only once, since its impact is so significant. Federal and state funding for emergency preparedness sufficiently covers associated costs for hospitals.
Communication, collaboration, and relationship building among hospital stakeholders are key to hospital emergency preparedness. Participating in interdisciplinary teams, planning for all-hazards incidents, and collaborating with public health and community partners to meet the health and safety needs of personnel are core competencies for the occupational health community. Since most hospital employees received training when the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) was first rolled out, there has been little impact on hospitals following cuts in funding. The ICS model’s roles, command structure, and chain of command presented organizational challenges to hospitals, which generally follow a medical model with physicians leading the team.