Page 209 - Saunders Comprehensive Review For NCLEX-RN

the community
E. Levels of disaster
1. FEMA identifies three levels of disaster with FEMA
response (Box 7-12).
2. When a federal emergency has been declared, the
federal response plan may take effect and activate
emergency support functions.
3. The emergency support functions of the ARC include
performing emergency first aid, sheltering, feeding,
providing a disaster welfare information system, and
coordinating bulk distribution of emergency relief
supplies.
4. Disaster medical assistant teams (teams of specially
trained personnel) can be activated and sent to a
disaster site to provide triage and medical care to
victims until they can be evacuated to a hospital.

F. Nurse’s role in disaster planning

1. Personal and professional preparedness
a. Make personal and family preparations
(Box 7-13).
b. Be aware of the disaster plan at the
place of employment and in the
community.
c. Maintain certification in disaster
training and in CPR.
d. Participate in mock disaster drills,
including bomb threat and active
shooter drills.
e. Prepare professional emergency
response items, such as a copy of
nursing license, personal health care
equipment such as a stethoscope, cash,
warm clothing, recordkeeping
materials, and other nursing care
supplies.
2. Disaster response
a. In the health care agency setting, if a
disaster occurs, the agency disaster
preparedness plan (emergency
response plan) is activated
immediately, and the nurse responds
by following the directions identified
in the plan.
b. In the community setting, if the nurse is
the first responder to a disaster, the
nurse cares for the victims by
attending to the victims with life-

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