Addressing hospital nurses' fear of abandonment in a bioterrorism emergency

Most hospitals' disaster plans are extensive and effective at establishing an incident command center, directing material and personnel resources, and triaging patients. However, few organizations have assessed caregivers' needs and fears related to disaster response. When nurses have been interviewed on this topic, findings indicated complex concerns involving fear of loss (e.g., loss of order in their work environment, loss of safe work conditions, loss of freedom to come and go at will, and loss of trust in their hospital's commitment to their best interest). The sobering result of anticipating these losses is fear of abandonment. The purpose of this article is to address factors identified by hospital-based nurses that contribute to their fears of abandonment in a bioterrorism emergency. Hospitals that choose to respond to these concerns will exemplify best practice toward care of the community and care of their own nurses.