Emergency Preparedness Policy and Practice in Massachusetts Hospitals

Hospital emergency preparedness has evolved in response to and been challenged by threats of terrorism, meteorological disasters, and public health emergencies. In this case study, the authors examined emergency preparedness policy and practice in Massachusetts hospitals following 9/11/2001, identifying areas of success and opportunities for improvement. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data analysis included the examination of documents and public health policy. Snowball technique was used to recruit nurses, public health policy makers, and other first responder leaders with historical and present knowledge of emergency preparedness policy and practice. Content analysis identified emerging themes and lessons learned. Key findings included the importance of standardized training, the value of interprofessional collaboration and communication across organizations, and the impact of decreased funding and prior incidents. The lessons learned from this case study contribute to the evolving body of knowledge about emergency preparedness for all hospitals and public health facilities, and their community health partners. Emergency preparedness is a dynamic process, and as it continues to evolve, additional research will be needed to standardize training, encourage collaboration, and facilitate communication so that incident response by hospital professionals, including occupational health nurses, and their public health and community partners is more effective.