What is a nurse's role in disaster preparedness and response? Disaster nursing involves traveling to the site of any type of disaster to provide emergency healthcare services. A disaster relief nurse may help people affected by natural disasters, epidemics, chemical spills, major industrial or transportation accidents, conflicts and more.
Throughout modern history, disaster nurses have responded to a wide range of crises, one of the most well-known being Hurricane Katrina. Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, causing unfathomable damage, including 1,833 fatalities. It remains one of the most devastating natural disasters ever to affect the U.S. The crisis may have escalated even further without the nurses and medical personnel who answered the call of those in need.
You might consider disaster nursing if you’re a particularly adventurous soul with strong emotional resilience driven to help those in dire circumstances. This nursing specialty doesn’t take place in any one type of setting; you may find yourself working in emergency shelters, industrial accident sites, international conflict zones, migrant/refugee gathering points, or public health departments, to name a few.
At the University of St. Thomas (UST), our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program prepares students to tackle any situation they may encounter in their career. If you’re thinking of checking out disaster training for nurses, you’ll first need to learn more about this nursing specialty and then reflect upon the job requirements.
What Is Disaster Nursing?
People worldwide can be affected by a wide range of catastrophic events — from natural disasters to civil unrest. Disaster preparedness in nursing is always essential, which is why hospitals in hurricane-prone areas proactively develop emergency plans for storm-related problems. However, disaster nursing goes a step further. This nursing specialty involves traveling to disaster-stricken areas to provide front-line care to people suffering from various injuries or illnesses under traumatic circumstances.
A disaster nurse often arrives in the aftermath of a calamity, although they may also work in the area while the event is occurring. They provide immediate assistance to individuals of all ages and with varying co-morbidities, working alongside other providers to stabilize the critically ill and injured or transferring patients out of the danger zone for more complete or specialized care.
A disaster nurse may be an RN who does this work full-time or as a volunteer for an organization like the American Red Cross. A disaster relief nurse may perform a wide range of tasks, including:
- Assess injuries or illnesses
- Administer first aid and other treatments
- Stabilize critically injured or ill patients
- Work with emergency response teams on recovery missions
- Visit communities affected by disasters to identify their needs
- Develop emergency preparedness and contingency plans for communities and organizations
- Teach communities, agencies, and other organizations about disaster preparedness
What is a travel nurse, and are they like a disaster nurse? Learn all about travel nursing — what it is, what it entails, and determine if it’s the right specialty for you.
A Nurse’s Role in Disaster Preparedness and Response
A disaster relief nurse may be dispatched in response to disasters domestically or internationally. Some examples include:
- Natural disasters, such as:
- Hurricanes, tornadoes, and typhoons
- Earthquakes
- Landslides
- Floods
- Wildfires
- Tsunamis
- Avalanches
- Major industrial accidents
- Chemical/hazardous material spills
- Civil unrest and wars
- Epidemics
- Acts of terrorism
- Radiological disasters
As you can see, there is a long list of potential disasters, both environmental and otherwise, all with the potential to cause significant human suffering. In some cases, there may be multiple disasters to contend with. For example, a hurricane can cause extensive flooding and knock out power to millions of homes, which in turn can cause heat-related deaths. A disaster nurse must be prepared to deal with anything.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, more than 300 nurses from the RN Response Network (RNRN) of National Nurses United (NNU) traveled to the affected areas to provide much-needed medical services. Some of them were deployed to the public hospital in New Orleans, which was overwhelmed with evacuees, and others worked within the shelter at the Houston Astrodome, where many residents of New Orleans sought aid after conditions rapidly deteriorated at the Louisiana Superdome.
Disaster nursing professionals have also been integral to the emergency responses in the wake of well-known catastrophes like the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, which triggered a tsunami and caused a nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. More recently, volunteer nurses have responded to calls for help in the aftermath of the massive 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in 2023, causing the deaths of more than 10,000 people.
Disaster Relief Nurse Training and Requirements
If a nurse’s role in disaster preparedness and response sounds appealing, you may wonder how to pursue this nursing specialty. Before pursuing disaster training for nurses, you must become a registered nurse. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 60 non-nursing college credits from an accredited school, you may be eligible to apply to the University of St. Thomas Houston’s ABSN program. The ABSN program at UST will allow you to complete your BSN degree in as few as 12 months (after completing the prerequisites).
Our graduates pursue careers in various nursing specialties — from pediatrics to geriatrics and everything in between. No matter what nursing challenges you’re eager to take on, including disaster-related ones, the University of St. Thomas Houston can thoroughly prepare you. With results-focused coursework, small class sizes, hands-on labs, and Academic Success Coaches to work with you one-on-one, our ABSN program teaches you the fundamentals of nursing and how to think critically, communicate effectively, and respond appropriately to any clinical situation.
After earning your nursing degree, you must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) and obtain licensure as an RN. Then, you’ll need to gain at least a few years of clinical experience to sharpen your nursing skills and clinical decision-making. Pursuing employment in an emergency department is ideal, as this will help you become accustomed to working in a fast-paced setting and handling a wide range of medical emergencies.
Your next step is to explore different disaster nursing organizations and agencies and determine the best fit for you. Then, apply, go through the screening process, and be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.
Some of the organizations that need disaster nursing professionals include:
- American Red Cross
- RN Response Network
- National Disaster Medical Teams
- Doctors Without Borders
- International Medical Corps
- Community Emergency Response Team
- Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals
Telehealth nursing is another career option for future RNs. For those seeking a more sedate nursing career, learn about what to expect from a telehealth role.
Essential Skills for a Disaster Relief Nurse
As you might expect, a disaster nurse relies on a broad range of skills and qualities. In addition to having a firm foundation of competencies in nursing (especially critical, emergency, and trauma care), these professionals can benefit from having:
- Emotional resilience
- Ability to think fast and make decisions under pressure
- Physical stamina
- Resourcefulness
- Leadership skills
- Communication skills
- Collaborative, team-focused mindset
- Excellent ability to triage and prioritize
- Ability to provide evidence-based care under crude working conditions
It’s also helpful to cultivate a calming demeanor. All patients have the potential to exhibit severe emotional distress, even under normal circumstances. During and after a disaster, patients are dealing with not only medical problems but also severe personal upheaval. Their home may have been destroyed, and they may have lost loved ones. For nurses, maintaining a calming, soothing presence is vital.
Interested in other career opportunities for RNs? Explore 10 alternative nursing careers.
Begin Working Toward Your Nursing Career at UST
If you’re interested in disaster nursing or another nursing specialty, you can learn the skills you need to effectively care for your patients amidst any challenging circumstances at the University of St. Thomas Houston. Our Catholic university welcomes students of all backgrounds interested in making a meaningful difference in the lives of others through a career in nursing.
Your nursing career can begin with our ABSN program, designed to enable you to graduate in as few as 12 months across four semesters. With small class sizes, online coursework, Academic Success Coaches, and dedicated instructors who go the extra mile to help you succeed, the ABSN program at UST is a leading choice among future nurses transitioning from another career.
Contact our admissions advisors today to learn how you can take the next step in your career.