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When a natural disaster occurs: lessons learned in meeting students' needs
Pamela G Watson1, Vincent J Loffredo, John C McKee
1School of Nursing, Office of the Vice President for Education, the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77555-1132, USA. pgwatson@utmb.edu
Summary
Academic health centers must improve student emergency preparedness and disaster recovery plans. A hurricane revealed that students need more specific preparation and clear post-storm recovery expectations to mitigate distress.
Area of Science:
- Disaster Medicine
- Higher Education Preparedness
- Public Health
Background:
- Natural disasters impact diverse geographic areas, increasing awareness of widespread vulnerability.
- Academic health centers must address student needs during and after emergencies.
- A major hurricane in 2008 highlighted gaps in student emergency preparedness and disaster recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To share lessons learned by an academic health center regarding student emergency preparedness and disaster recovery.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of institutional support for students following a major hurricane.
- To identify key themes in student experiences and needs post-disaster.
Main Methods:
- A Hurricane Needs Survey (HNS) was administered to 515 students (37.2% response rate) 7 months post-hurricane.
- The survey included 26 structured items and 3 open-ended questions to assess storm-related needs and experiences.
- Qualitative content analysis was used to identify themes from students' narrative responses.
Main Results:
- All surveyed students were under mandatory evacuation orders; most stayed with family and experienced moderate material losses.
- Some students faced ongoing problems, worries, and academic performance issues due to evacuation and post-storm conditions.
- Analysis of student comments revealed three main themes: preparedness, connectivity, and return to normalcy.
Conclusions:
- Student emergency preparation requires enhanced specificity and proactive planning.
- Clear communication regarding post-storm recovery expectations is crucial for student well-being.
- Academic institutions must recognize and address the significant distress students experience after natural disasters.
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