Nurses help in preparing for and managing complex diseases during disasters and public health emergencies. Firstly, nurses create public awareness about disasters and public health emergencies. This includes educating the public on the safety measures that should be adopted to minimize risks during disasters. Nurses also provide emergency response services for the affected populations during complex diseases and public health emergencies. This includes emergency care services such as assessment, treatment, evacuation, and monitoring response to treatment among the affected. Nurses also mobilize and allocate resources for managing complex diseases and public health emergencies. They ensure the efficient use of the scarce resources to optimize health outcomes. Nurses also coordinate the care that is provided to those affected by complex diseases and public health emergencies. They coordinate the interdisciplinary care needed to ensure the affected receive high-quality, safe, and efficient care (Al Harthi et al., 2020; Almukhlifi et al., n.d.). For example, nurses coordinate interdisciplinary care involving physicians, other nurses, public health professionals, and community health personnel for efficient delivery of healthcare services.
The risk of the spread of infectious diseases in high-risk situations is elevated. Nurses implement several strategies to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in the population. One of the strategies is educating the public on effective strategies to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. For example, they can educate the public on the importance of hand hygiene and safe disposal of waste to prevent infectious disease spread. The other strategy is ensuring infection prevention and control in their practice. Nurses uphold best practices such as sharps safety, respiratory hygiene, sterilization, and disinfection of items used in the provision of patient care services. Nurses also collaborate with public health officials to ensure access to safe and quality food and water (Hasan et al., 2021). Nurses can ensure the safety of both themselves and patients with complex diseases during public health emergencies by adopting practices such as hand washing, respiratory hygiene, isolating patients, and safe disposal of infectious materials.
Al Harthi, M., Al Thobaity, A., Al Ahmari, W., & Almalki, M. (2020). Challenges for Nurses in Disaster Management: A Scoping Review. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 13, 2627–2634. https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S279513
Almukhlifi, Y., Crowfoot, G., Wilson, A., & Hutton, A. (n.d.). Emergency healthcare workers’ preparedness for disaster management: An integrative review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, n/a(n/a). https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15965
Hasan, Md. K., Younos, T. B., & Farid, Z. I. (2021). Nurses’ knowledge, skills and preparedness for disaster management of a Megapolis: Implications for nursing disaster education. Nurse Education Today, 107, 105122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105122
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