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hen disaster strikes, it often leaves a
wake of destruction, mass fatalities and
injuries in its path. International relief
organizations like the American Red
Cross (ARC) rush to provide aid — but
according to research led by associate
professor and ARC volunteer Lavonne
Adams, the majority of survivors
receiving assistance are those with already limited health care access.
Therefore, care inequities become increasingly apparent in times
of crisis.
Adams explained exactly how disasters can be opportunities to explore
and improve care equality during a speech to the International Council
of Nurses (ICN) 25th Quadrennial Congress in Melbourne, Australia,
last year.
Specifically, Adams used collaborative research findings to illustrate
the critical role of nurses in facilitating equity and access to care for
survivors of mass-fatality disasters using an interdisciplinary care team
(ICT) model. She put together the presentation with the assistance of
two of her fellow ARC volunteers, Susan Weeks and Susan Hassmiller.
Hassmiller, a senior advisor for nursing for the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation, met up with Adams in Melbourne. There, she spoke to
the ICN Congress about her “lived experience” as a nurse working
on an ICT in response to the catastrophic 2011 Alabama tornadoes.
Weeks,theactingdeanforHarrisCollegeatTCU,wasnotabletoaccompany
Adams to Australia, but the two collaborated beforehand on the
presentation content.
“The chief nurse for the Red Cross at the time, Sharon Stanley, noticed
that the three of us had been engaged in similar activities,” said Adams.
“Thanks to her, we were able to integrate our research — Hassmiller’s
firsthand experience with Weeks’ and my systematic review and
program evaluation — making for a more dynamic, well-rounded
presentation.”
Developing the abstract of the symposium and submitting it for
consideration was the first step on the road to Australia. “We were
pleased it was accepted for presentation, because in nursing circles the
process leading to ICN presentation is considered quite competitive,”
said Adams.
The trio’s research focused on improving equity and access to care
through the implementation of a team-based approach, supporting the
Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) 2009 Future of Nursing recommendations.
“Improving team functioning within the model certainly reinforces the
message of collaboration, which serendipitously connects with IOM’s
NURSING’S CRITICAL
ROLE IN MASS-FATALITY
DISASTERS
by Amy Gallagher
“...CARE INEQUITIES
BECOME INCREASINGLY
APPARENT IN
TIMES OF CRISIS.”
FEATURES
Harris College Magazine
- 2014 ·
9