GCU Nursing Intervention & Diary of Medical Mission Trip Discussion – Description
Watch the “Diary of Medical Mission Trip” videos dealing with the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Reflect on this natural disaster by answering the following questions:
Propose one example of a nursing intervention related to the disaster from each of the following levels: primary prevention, secondary prevention, and tertiary prevention. Provide innovative examples that have not been discussed by previous students.
Under which phase of the disaster do the three proposed interventions fall? Explain why you chose that phase.
What people or agencies would you work with in facilitating the proposed interventions and why?
Response 1 Alanna
The catastrophic earthquake that occurred in Haiti in 2010 was an event that changed the lives of people in the community. Having resources to help in these kinds of disasters is crucial to have the maximum impact on those that are affected. Prevention on many different levels through nursing interventions can prove extremely beneficial. A primary prevention intervention could be stocking up on necessary supplies in the case that a natural disaster occurs. This could help increase the amount of people that healthcare professionals could assist during a natural disaster. A secondary prevention intervention consists of an intervention during the immediate phase after a disaster has occurred, (Falkner, 2018). An example of this could be prioritizing where medical professionals will be most helpful or providing direct care to patients such as fluids. A tertiary prevention intervention could be providing rehabilitative support to those affected such as physical therapy or psychosocial therapy. The primary intervention would fall under the preparedness phase, the secondary intervention would be in the response phase, and the tertiary intervention would fall under the recovery phase. These phases categorize the interventions described because of the care that they provide. Lastly, there are several agencies that would work with medical professionals in facilitating the proposed interventions. One of these agencies would include the American Red Cross. This is because of their popular work during times of disaster and extreme need in the community.
Response 2 Yassenia
The tragic events that happened during the 2010 Haiti earthquake left many individuals with life-changing experiences. The diary entries from students who attended the Medical Mission Trip gave me insight into what it was like to be there and what was endured during that time.
Being prepared and equipped with resources is essential to saving more lives when natural disasters like this happen unexpectedly.
A primary prevention intervention that has not yet been discussed is improving the water supply in rural areas, as well as teaching and giving farming households the tools to support themselves during a natural disaster. Individuals living in rural areas do not have the same access to nearby medical centers and have a higher risk of death during a disaster due to the lack of resources surrounding them.
A secondary prevention intervention can be sending groups of medically trained personnel to small towns to better assist those who are injured and cannot travel. The students who attended the Medical Mission Trip talked about how there were hundredths of individuals waiting to be seen and many of them were carried by family members who had walked for miles in order to get medical care. Having designated buses to transport these individuals and medical personnel is essential when it comes to timing and being able to save more lives.
A tertiary prevention intervention can be the distribution of food and resources that are essential for a full recovery. Often during a disaster, individuals get sent home to continue their recovery process due to the large number of individuals that are being cared for, but they do not have the resources to be able to make a full recovery. Many times, individuals will return for medical care as a result of poor healing and infections associated with lack of resources needed to heal properly.
These three proposed interventions fall under the recovery phase, which consists of proper medical assistance, rescue, and recovery of victims, as well as physical and psychological healing (Falkner, 2018). As soon as a disaster occurs, the care plan for the communities includes a recovery section, where nurses and healthcare professionals are thinking of how best to assist individuals in recovering. This phase aids in reaching as many individuals as possible and begin the healing process.
Agencies that will need to be involved are volunteer organizations such as the American Red Cross, local transportation services, food distribution organizations, and emergency response teams.
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