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School nurses as volunteers in a bioterrorism event.
1Denton County Health Department, Denton, Texas 76209, USA. jessica.gullion@dentoncounty.com
Summary
School nurses are willing to assist public health departments during emergencies, but require additional training in risk assessment and personal protection to effectively respond to large-scale health threats like bioterrorism.
Area of Science:
- Public Health Emergency Preparedness
- Disaster Nursing
- Workforce Capacity
Background:
- Public health departments face staffing shortages during large-scale emergencies.
- Volunteers are crucial for maintaining essential services during health crises.
- School nurses represent a skilled, yet often untapped, workforce for emergency response.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of utilizing school nurses to augment public health staff during emergencies.
- To assess the preparedness and willingness of school nurses to act as first responders in mass casualty events.
- To identify educational needs for school nurses regarding health threats and personal protection.
Main Methods:
- A Likert-scale survey was administered to school nurses.
- The survey assessed their perceived preparedness and willingness to respond to health threats.
- Data analysis focused on identifying key factors influencing their participation in emergency response.
Main Results:
- School nurses expressed a significant willingness to volunteer during health emergencies.
- Findings indicated a need for enhanced education on risk assessment and personal protective measures.
- The study highlights a gap in current training for school nurses concerning bioterrorism and mass casualty events.
Conclusions:
- School nurses are a valuable, willing resource for public health emergency response.
- Targeted education is essential to equip school nurses with the necessary skills and confidence.
- Integrating school nurses into emergency preparedness plans can strengthen community resilience.