It seems like there’s a new natural disaster in some part of the world every week.  Oklahoma, home of the Severe Weather Center, suffered through yet another tornado. Another recent force of nature was a massive tornado in Joplin, Missouri. Although we’ve had our share of hurricanes, I feel very lucky to live in New England. I’ve opened shelters when a section of my city was flooded.  During a power outage, I’ve knocked on doors in a building where a majority of its residents had special medical needs.  The closest I’ve gotten to a tornado was when my daughter called me from her bathroom in Norman, Oklahoma during a tornado warning.  That day a twister hit Moore, OK.  I saw the devastation it left about a month later.

Most health care organizations are well drilled at disaster response.  We often hear via the media about courageous emergency responders and hospital workers.  It would be great to hear a feature story of how home care responds as well!  I know that there must be many stories out there of home care nurses on the frontlines of natural disasters.  For example, I like many of my nurse colleagues in northern states, have made essential home visits during a blizzard with the assistance of the fire department or a truck driving volunteer.

Keeping our patients safe at home is our ultimate goal.  Do you have a story to share?
Tell us what happens when your home care patient is directly in the path of a flood or tornado or when your home care patient can’t hear a warning siren? Do you include a disaster plan in your patient’s plan of care?   What happens when caregivers are also victims of a natural disaster? Your home care colleagues will benefit from hearing about the process in which you develop a patient’s individual emergency plan.  I encourage you to communicate with your fellow home care nurses right here and right now by posting your story below. Sharing information about these matters could help save a life.

Debra Bertrand, CHAMP Facilitator