Washington Nurses Volunteer for Red Cross Training
Monday January 14, 2008
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Many communities are now better able to face a flood, avian flu pandemic, or earthquake since a cadre of parish nurses has been trained in disaster preparedness and emergency shelter training. Some of their churches have also been approved as emergency shelter sites.
To date, 18 of the 28 parish nurses who serve under the umbrella of Interfaith Association of Northwestern Washington have been, or are being, trained by the American Red Cross in emergency shelter operation. Additionally, the Snohomish County chapter of the American Red Cross has evaluated and approved many of their churches as shelter sites.
This initiative resulted when Tim Serban, director of mission integration and spiritual care for Providence Everett Medical Center in Everett, Wash., realized the potential link between the parish nurses and the Red Cross, which was seeking more shelter options.
“I thought it would be great for the nurses to get disaster nurse training and then invite their congregations to be evaluated as disaster shelters,” Serban explained. Providence Everett funds the training.
Churches are ideal, Serban said, because they offer large areas for sleeping, a kitchen and restroom facilities, and they are situated in every community.
Though none of the newly identified church shelters has been activated, the parish nurses can provide disaster nurse services during other types of situations. Sally Shinstrom, BSN, coordinates the parish nurses for the Interfaith Association. After completing the RC shelter course, she volunteered in 2005 to assist relocated evacuees from Hurricane Katrina when they were transported to Washington State after the disaster.
“We interviewed people, found out their needs, and helped them connect with services, like a pharmacy that would have their records online, or a doctor if they needed to have a new prescription written.” she said.
Snohomish County’s Health District is also planning for a potential avian flu pandemic. The parish nurses received training from the Health District if the flu shuts down major services and quarantines are ordered.
In any disaster scenario, nurses trained through the Red Cross rarely provide hands-on care. Instead, they usually function as a resource and as triage personnel.
“[Nurses] learn to multi-task the different jobs in the shelter,” explained Liz Budbill, LPN, disaster training lead for the Snohomish County Red Cross Chapter. Budbill taught a shelter course for the parish nurses and serves as a shelter nurse herself.
Meridee Vuori, RN, BSN, hasn’t yet put her disaster training to the test but has involved her church, First Presbyterian of Snohomish, in gearing up for a variety of disaster scenarios.
“We’ve presented a lot of material to the church and helped people be more aware and prepared,” said Vuori, a hospice nurse. The training expanded Vuori’s confidence for disaster involvement and fostered proactive work in the community, such as identifying available resources.
Margaret Smith, RN, BSN, is the lead disaster nurse for the county Red Cross chapter. She values the help the parish nurses offer.
Smith said she can rely on parish nurses to stay on the job if a disaster happens and that they are a valuable community resource with information for local residents that will be extremely useful during an emergency.
No matter what the disaster or event, the parish nurses are ready to open a Red Cross shelter in their own church and serve the health care needs of their community.
Karen Schmidt is a freelance writer. To comment on this article e-mail editorNW@nurseweek.com.
