Nurses as first responders in a mass casualty: are you prepared?
A mass casualty event is a situation in which the need for medical care and resources, including personnel, exceeds that which is available. As the largest component of the health care workforce, nurses represent a significant resource that can be called on to act as first responders during a mass casualty. However, current education and national guidelines fail to provide specific instruction on pre-hospital nursing considerations and interventions. This article provides evidence-based guidelines designed for nurses to use when acting as first responders during a disaster and presents recommendations for future nursing practice related to mass casualty events.
Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
Lea
L
Olchin
Adrian
A
Krutz
D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000592:standards*; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014218:Triage / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy