title: Role of nurses in a nuclear disaster: experience in the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A severe earthquake occurred in Japan on 11 March 2011. The giant tsunami devastated many coastal communities in eastern Japan and caused the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant incident. The Japanese government conducted a large-scale survey of residents affected by the nuclear and natural disasters in Fukushima prefecture and in response to the government's request, H University dispatched a Radiation Exposure Research Team to Fukushima.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article explains the activities of the Radiation Exposure Research Team and the role of nurses in a nuclear disaster.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a nurse in the field of radiation medicine, our role is to protect the health of those affected and to reduce their anxiety. In addition, as the persons responsible for implementing these projects, it is also necessary that we educate and foster the development of medical care personnel with the appropriate knowledge and skills to carry out the measures required.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Health Sciences, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan. noto@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kitamiya
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Itaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urushizaka
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kidachi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamabe
mesh_terms: D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D062406:Fukushima Nuclear Accident; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D055848:Nuclear Power Plants; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000451:nursing*; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D057192:Tsunamis