Expanding Opportunities in Emergency Preparedness Through Mutually Beneficial Community Partnerships

Already well known is the fact that disasters and emergencies in large scale will continue to grow in numbers, and nurses will have a role in almost all situations. Schools of nursing need to look for innovative ways to enhance these competencies.

This project involved two activities: (1) to train lower-level nursing students to be active members in the local Medical Reserve Corporation and (2) to run a community-wide simulated event giving nursing students the opportunity to participate in emergency management.

Participant feedback was gained through a standardized evaluation form and postsurvey questionnaire, as well as a structured debriefing. Students verbalized an appreciation and excitement regarding future community involvement.

This project offered students the opportunity to connect what they learned in the classroom to a live situation and also strengthened the school of nursing's community partnerships.