Disaster Preparedness and Response - Online Course

Natural and human-shaped disasters are an unfortunate reality, but there are steps you can take to better prepare for them and assist in disaster relief efforts. This course presents an overview of a nurse’s role in planning for and responding to a mass casualty incident. The course also includes information on how you and your family can better prepare for disasters.

What’s in it for me?

This course will help you to make a disaster response plan for your own family, as well as to prepare for the nurse’s role in responding to mass casualty events. You will feel more confident about the safety of your patients, your family, and yourself.

Course Learning Outcomes:

• Perform the nurse&rsquo's role in disaster preparedness and response.
• Describe how local, state, and federal agencies and organizations respond to a disaster.
• Provide information to help others prepare for a disaster.
• Develop plans to respond to disasters.
• Assemble a disaster preparedness kit.

About the Authors

Terri Rebmann, PhD, RN, CIC, FAPIC,is a Professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Director of the Institute for Biosecurity at the Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice. She has been with the Institute since its inception in July of 2000.

Dr. Rebmann is a researcher with an emphasis in infectious disease emergency preparedness and is board certified in Infection Prevention and Healthcare Epidemiology. Her past work experience includes research and clinical practice with HIV/AIDS patients and hospital Infection Prevention.

Cheryl K. Schmidt, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN,has taught community health nursing to baccalaureate nursing students since 1975. She has served in leadership positions of the American Nurses Association (ANA) at the local, state, and national levels, and has served as a consultant to the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) at the local, state and national levels, most recently completing her term as the ANA-appointed Consultant to the NSNA Board of Directors.

Dr. Schmidt has been a volunteer nurse in the American Red Cross since 1974, and has taught disaster preparedness education to health care professionals, nursing students, and community members throughout the United States. She collaborated with a team of other Red Cross nurses to develop a course to prepare pre-licensure nursing students to serve as volunteers in Red Cross disaster shelters, which is now being taught in nursing programs throughout the country.