NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

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NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan – Step-by-Step Guide

The first step before starting to write the NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan, it is essential to understand the requirements of the assignment. The first step is to read the assignment prompt carefully to identify the topic, the length and format requirements. You should go through the rubric provided so that you can understand what is needed to score the maximum points for each part of the assignment. 

It is also important to identify the audience of the paper and its purpose so that it can help you determine the tone and style to use throughout. You can then create a timeline to help you complete each stage of the paper, such as conducting research, writing the paper, and revising it to avoid last-minute stress before the deadline. After identifying the formatting style to be applied to the paper, such as APA, you should review its use, such as writing citations and referencing the resources used. You should also review how to format the title page and the headings in the paper.

How to Research and Prepare for NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

The next step in preparing for your paper is to conduct research and identify the best sources to use to support your arguments. Identify the list of keywords from your topic using different combinations. The first step is to visit the university library and search through its database using the important keywords related to your topic. You can also find books, peer-reviewed articles, and credible sources for your topic from PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Ensure that you select the references that have been published in the last words and go through each to check for credibility. Ensure that you obtain the references in the required format, for example, in APA, so that you can save time when creating the final reference list. 

You can also group the references according to their themes that align with the outline of the paper. Go through each reference for its content and summarize the key concepts, arguments and findings for each source. You can write down your reflections on how each reference connects to the topic you are researching about. After the above steps, you can develop a strong thesis that is clear, concise and arguable. Next you should create a detailed outline of the paper so that it can help you to create headings and subheadings to be used in the paper. Ensure that you plan what point will go into each paragraph.

How to Write the Introduction for NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

The introduction of the paper is the most crucial part as it helps to provide the context of your work, and will determine if the reader will be interested to read through to the end. You should start with a hook, which will help capture the reader’s attention. You should contextualize the topic by offering the reader a concise overview of the topic you are writing about so that they may understand its importance. You should state what you aim to achieve with the paper. The last part of the introduction should be your thesis statement, which provides the main argument of the paper.

How to Write the Body for NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

The body of the paper helps you to present your arguments and evidence to support your claims. You can use headings and subheadings developed in the paper’s outline to guide you on how to organize the body. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence to help the reader know what point you will be discussing in that paragraph. Support your claims using the evidence conducted from the research, ensure that you cite each source properly using in-text citations. You should analyze the evidence presented and explain its significance and how it connects to the thesis statement. You should maintain a logical flow between each paragraph by using transition words and a flow of ideas.

How to Write the In-text Citations for NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

In-text citations help the reader to give credit to the authors of the references they have used in their works. All ideas that have been borrowed from references, any statistics and direct quotes must be referenced properly. The name and date of publication of the paper should be included when writing an in-text citation. For example, in APA, after stating the information, you can put an in-text citation after the end of the sentence, such as (Smith, 2021). If you are quoting directly from a source, include the page number in the citation, for example (Smith, 2021, p. 15). Remember to also include a corresponding reference list at the end of your paper that provides full details of each source cited in your text. An example paragraph highlighting the use of in-text citations is as below:

The integration of technology in nursing practice has significantly transformed patient care and improved health outcomes. According to Smith (2021), the use of electronic health records (EHRs) has streamlined communication among healthcare providers, allowing for more coordinated and efficient care delivery. Furthermore, Johnson and Brown (2020) highlight that telehealth services have expanded access to care, particularly for patients in rural areas, thereby reducing barriers to treatment.

How to Write the Conclusion for NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

When writing the conclusion of the paper, start by restarting your thesis, which helps remind the reader what your paper is about. Summarize the key points of the paper, by restating them. Discuss the implications of your findings and your arguments. End with a call to action that leaves a lasting impact on the reader or recommendations.

How to Format the Reference List for NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

The reference helps provide the reader with the complete details of the sources you cited in the paper. The reference list should start with the title “References” on a new page. It should be aligned center and bolded. The references should be organized in an ascending order alphabetically and each should have a hanging indent. If a source has no author, it should be alphabetized by the title of the work, ignoring any initial articles such as “A,” “An,” or “The.” If you have multiple works by the same author, list them in chronological order, starting with the earliest publication. 

Each reference entry should include specific elements depending on the type of source. For books, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the book in italics, the edition (if applicable), and the publisher’s name. For journal articles, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the article (not italicized), the title of the journal in italics, the volume number in italics, the issue number in parentheses (if applicable), and the page range of the article. For online sources, include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or the URL at the end of the reference. An example reference list is as follows:

References

Johnson, L. M., & Brown, R. T. (2020). The role of telehealth in improving patient outcomes. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 35(2), 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000456

Smith, J. A. (2021). The impact of technology on nursing practice. Health Press.

NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan Instructions

Develop a disaster recovery plan to lessen health disparities and improve access to community services after a disaster. Then, develop and record a 10-12 slide presentation (please refer to the PowerPoint tutorial) of the plan with audio and speaker notes for the Vila Health system, city officials, and the disaster relief team.

As you begin to prepare this assessment, you are encouraged to complete the Disaster Preparedness and Management activity. The information gained from completing this activity will help you succeed with the assessment as you think through key issues in disaster preparedness and management in the community or workplace. Completing activities is also a way to demonstrate engagement. Have a look at NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 4 Health Promotion Plan Presentation.

Introduction

Nurses perform a variety of roles and their responsibilities as health care providers extend to the community. The decisions we make daily and in times of crisis often involve the balancing of human rights with medical necessities, equitable access to services, legal and ethical mandates, and financial constraints. In the event of a major accident or natural disaster, many issues can complicate decisions concerning the needs of an individual or group, including understanding and upholding rights and desires, mediating conflict, and applying established ethical and legal standards of nursing care. As a nurse, you must be knowledgeable about disaster preparedness and recovery to safeguard those in your care. As an advocate, you are also accountable for promoting equitable services and quality care for the diverse community.

Nurses work alongside first responders, other professionals, volunteers, and the health department to safeguard the community. Some concerns during a disaster and recovery period include the possibility of death and infectious disease due to debris and/or contamination of the water, air, food supply, or environment. Various degrees of injury may also occur during disasters, terrorism, and violent conflicts.

To maximize survival, first responders must use a triage system to assign victims according to the severity of their condition/prognosis in order to allocate equitable resources and provide treatment. During infectious disease outbreaks, triage does not take the place of routine clinical triage.

Trace-mapping becomes an important step to interrupting the spread of all infectious diseases to prevent or curtail morbidity and mortality in the community. A vital step in trace-mapping is the identification of the infectious individual or group and isolating or quarantining them. During the trace-mapping process, these individuals are interviewed to identify those who have had close contact with them. Contacts are notified of their potential exposure, testing referrals become paramount, and individuals are connected with appropriate services they might need during the self-quarantine period (CDC, 2020).

An example of such disaster is the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. People who had contact with someone who were in contact with the COVID-19 virus were encouraged to stay home and maintain social distance (at least 6 feet) from others until 14 days after their last exposure to a person with COVID-19. Contacts were required to monitor themselves by checking their temperature twice daily and watching for symptoms of COVID-19 (CDC, 2020).

Local, state, and health department guidelines were essential in establishing the recovery phase. Triage Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in the case of COVID-19 focused on inpatient and outpatient health care facilities that would be receiving, or preparing to receive, suspected, or confirmed COVID- 19 victims. Controlling droplet transmission through hand washing, social distancing, self-quarantine, PPE, installing barriers, education, and standardized triage algorithm/questionnaires became essential to the triage system (CDC, 2020; WHO, 2020).

This assessment provides an opportunity for you to apply the concepts of emergency preparedness, public health assessment, triage, management, and surveillance after a disaster. You will also focus on evacuation, extended displacement periods, and contact tracing based on the disaster scenario provided.

Note: Complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.

Preparation

When disaster strikes, community members must be protected. A comprehensive recovery plan, guided by the MAP-IT (Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, Track) framework, is essential to help ensure everyone’s safety. The unique needs of residents must be assessed to lessen health disparities and improve access to equitable services after a disaster. Recovery efforts depend on the appropriateness of the plan, the extent to which key stakeholders have been prepared, the quality of the trace-mapping, and the allocation of available resources. In a time of cost containment, when personnel and resources may be limited, the needs of residents must be weighed carefully against available resources.

In this assessment, you are a community task force member responsible for developing a disaster recovery plan for the Vila Health community using MAP-IT and trace-mapping, which you will present to city officials and the disaster relief team.

To prepare for the assessment, complete the Vila Health: Disaster Recovery Scenario simulation.

In addition, you are encouraged to complete the Disaster Preparedness and Management activity. The information gained from completing this activity will help you succeed with the assessment as you think through key issues in disaster preparedness and management in the community or workplace. Completing activities is also a way to demonstrate engagement.

Begin thinking about:

  • Community needs.
  • Resources, personnel, budget, and community makeup.
  • People accountable for implementation of the disaster recovery plan.
  • Healthy People 2020 goals and 2030 objectives.
  • A timeline for the recovery effort.

You may also wish to:

  • Review the MAP-IT (Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, Track) framework, which you will use to guide the development of your plan:
    • Mobilize collaborative partners.
    • Assess community needs.
    • Plan to lessen health disparities and improve access to services.
    • Implement a plan to reach Healthy People 2020 goals or 2030 objectives.
    • Track community progress.
  • Review the assessment instructions and scoring guide to ensure that you understand the work you will be asked to complete.

Note: As you revise your writing, check out the resources listed on the Writing Center’s Writing Support page.

Note: If you require the use of assistive technology or alternative communication methods to participate in this activity, please contact DisabilityServices@capella.edu to request accommodations.

Instructions

Every 10 years, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion release information on health indicators, public health issues, and current trends. At the end of 2020, Healthy People 2030 was released to provide information for the next 10 years. Healthy People 2030 provides the most updated content when it comes to prioritizing public health issues; however, there are historical contents that offer a better understanding of some topics. Disaster preparedness is addressed in Healthy People 2030, but a more robust understanding of MAP-IT, triage, and recovery efforts is found in Healthy People 2020. For this reason, you will find references to both Healthy People 2020 and Healthy People 2030 in this course.

Complete the following:

  1. Develop a disaster recovery plan for the Vila Health community that will lessen health disparities and improve access to services after a disaster. Refer back to the Vila Health: Disaster Recovery Scenario to understand the Vila Health community.
    1. Assess community needs.
    1. Consider resources, personnel, budget, and community makeup.
    1. Identify the people accountable for implementation of the plan and describe their roles.
    1. Focus on specific Healthy People 2020 goals and 2030 objectives.
    1. Include a timeline for the recovery effort.
  2. Apply the MAP-IT (Mobilize, Assess, Plan, Implement, Track) framework to guide the development of your plan:
    1. Mobilize collaborative partners.
    1. Assess community needs.
      1. Use the demographic data and specifics related to the disaster to identify the needs of the community and develop a recovery plan. Consider physical, emotional, cultural, and financial needs of the entire community.
      1. Include in your plan the equitable allocation of services for the diverse community.
      1. Apply the triage classification to provide a rationale for those who may have been injured during the train derailment. Provide support for your position.
      1. Include in your plan contact tracing of the homeless, disabled, displaced community members, migrant workers, and those who have hearing impairment or English as a second language in the event of severe tornadoes.
    1. Plan to lessen health disparities and improve access to services.
    1. Implement a plan to reach Healthy People 2020 goals and 2030 objectives.
    1. Track and trace-map community progress.
      1. Use the CDC’s Contract Tracing Resources for Health Departments as a template to create your contact tracing. 
      1. Describe the plan for contact tracing during the disaster and recovery phase.
  3. Develop a slide presentation of your disaster recovery plan with an audio recording of you presenting your assessment of the Vila Health: Disaster Recovery Scenario for city officials and the disaster relief team. Be sure to also include speaker notes.
Presentation Format and Length

You may use Microsoft PowerPoint (preferred) or other suitable presentation software to create your slides and add your voice-over along with speaker notes. If you elect to use an application other than PowerPoint, check with your instructor to avoid potential file compatibility issues.

Be sure that your slide deck includes the following slides:

  • Title slide.
    • Recovery plan title.
    • Your name.
    • Date.
    • Course number and title.
  • References (at the end of your presentation).

Your slide deck should consist of 10–12 content slides plus title and references slides. Use the speaker’s notes section of each slide to develop your talking points and cite your sources as appropriate. Be sure to also include a transcript that matches your recorded voice-over. The transcript can be submitted on a separate Word document. Make sure to review the Microsoft PowerPoint tutorial for directions.

The following resources will help you create and deliver an effective presentation:

Supporting Evidence

Cite at least three credible sources from peer-reviewed journals or professional industry publications within the past 5 years to support your plan.

Graded Requirements

The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide, so be sure to address each point:

  • Describe the determinants of health and the cultural, social, and economic barriers that impact safety, health, and recovery efforts in the community.
    • Consider the interrelationships among these factors.
  • Explain how your proposed disaster recovery plan will lessen health disparities and improve access to community services.
    • Consider principles of social justice and cultural sensitivity with respect to ensuring health equity for individuals, families, and aggregates within the community.
  • Explain how health and governmental policy impact disaster recovery efforts.
    • Consider the implications for individuals, families, and aggregates within the community of legislation that includes, but is not limited to, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA).
  • Present specific, evidence-based strategies to overcome communication barriers and enhance interprofessional collaboration to improve the disaster recovery effort.
    • Consider how your proposed strategies will affect members of the disaster relief team, individuals, families, and aggregates within the community.
    • Include evidence to support your strategies.
  • Organize content with clear purpose/goals and with relevant and evidence-based sources (published within 5 years).
  • Slides are easy to read and error free. Detailed audio and speaker notes are provided. Audio is clear, organized, and professionally presented.
    • Develop your presentation with a specific purpose and audience in mind.
    • Adhere to scholarly and disciplinary writing standards and APA formatting requirements.
Additional Requirements

Before submitting your assessment, proofread all elements to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it difficult for them to focus on the substance of your presentation.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

  • Competency 1: Analyze health risks and health care needs among distinct populations.
    • Describe the determinants of health and the cultural, social, and economic barriers that impact safety, health, and disaster recovery efforts in a community.
  • Competency 2: Propose health promotion strategies to improve the health of populations.
    • Present specific, evidence-based strategies to overcome communication barriers and enhance interprofessional collaboration to improve disaster recovery efforts.
  • Competency 3: Evaluate health policies, based on their ability to achieve desired outcomes.
    • Explain how health and governmental policy impact disaster recovery efforts.
  • Competency 4: Integrate principles of social justice in community health interventions.
    • Explain how a proposed disaster recovery plan will lessen health disparities and improve access to community services.
  • Competency 5: Apply professional, scholarly communication strategies to lead health promotion and improve population health.
    • Organize content with clear purpose/goals and with relevant and evidence-based sources (published within 5 years).
    • Slides are easy to read and error free. Detailed audio, transcript, and speaker notes are provided. Audio is clear, organized, and professionally presented.

Disaster Recovery Scenario

Recovery Scenario

Background

Investigate the scene for relevant background information.

Visit each icon to continue.

HOPE FOR THE BEST, PLAN FOR THE WORST

Op-ed by Anne Levy, Valley City Herald

Valley City has had a great year, growing on a number of fronts. But all of our growth and success exists in the shadow of the recent past, a case of recent wounds slowly healing and fading to scars.

No one who was in Valley City two years ago will ever forget the catastrophic derailment of an oil-tanker train and the subsequent explosion and fire. While fatalities were fewer than they could have been, six residents of our city lost their lives. Nearly two hundred were hospitalized, and much of the city was temporarily evacuated. Several homes near the railroad tracks were leveled, and our water supply was contaminated by oil leakage for several months.

Life has resumed, and we have begun to thrive again, in our fashion. But the nagging feeling recurs: When the disaster struck, were our institutions properly prepared? No one wakes up in the morning expecting a train derailment, of course. But responsible institutions think about things that could go wrong within the realm of possibility, and make a plan. Many individuals performed brave, inspired, selfless service in the chaos of the derailment, but it is clear in retrospect that much of the work was improvised, disorganized, and often circular or at cross-purposes.

For the first two hours of the crisis, the Valley City Fire Department was caught unprepared by the damage to the city water supply caused by the explosion, which was more extensive than had been considered possible. The Fire and Police departments had trouble coordinating radio communications, and a clear chain of command at the scene between departments was painfully slow to emerge. The hospital was woefully understaffed for the first six hours of the crisis, taking far too long to find a way to bring additional staff and resources onto the scene. The city health department was unacceptably dilatory in testing the municipal water supply for contaminants.

A call from the Herald’s offices to City Hall confirmed that the city’s disaster plan is over a decade old, and is unfortunately myopic both in the events it considers as possible disasters and in the agencies it plans for. It is of utmost importance to the future of our city that this plan be revised, revisited, and expanded. All city agencies should review their own disaster plans and coordinate with the city for a master plan. The same goes for crucial non-government agencies, most especially the Valley City Regional Hospital. Of course, this all exists in the shadow of budget cuts both at city hall and the hospital.

The sun is shining today, without a cloud in the sky. This is the time to make sure we are ready for the next storm, so to speak, to hit our city. No one knows what the next crisis will be or when it will come. But we can count on the fact that no one will get up that morning expecting it.

Disaster Recovery Scenario

Fact Sheet

Valley City, ND, Demographics

Population: 8,295 (up from 6,585 in 2010 census)

Median Age: 43.6 years. 17.1% under age 18; 14.8% between 18 and 24; 21.1% between 25 and 44; 24.9% 46 – 64; 22% 65 or older.

Officially, residents are 93% white, 3% Latino, 2% African-American, 1% Native American, 1% other.

—additionally, unknown number of undocumented migrant workers with limited English proficiency

Special needs: 204 residents are elderly with complex health conditions; 147 physically disabled and/or use lip-reading or American Sign Language to communicate.

Note that the Valley City Homeless shelter runs at capacity and is generally unable to accommodate all of the city’s homeless population. Also, the city is in the midst of a financial crisis, with bankruptcy looming, and has instituted layoffs at the police and fire departments.

Valley City Region Hospital Fact Sheet

105-bed hospital (currently 97 patients; 5 on ventilators, 2 in hospice care.)

NOTEWORTHY: Both of VCRH’s ambulances are aging and in need of overhaul. Also, much of the hospital’s basic infrastructure and equipment is old and showing wear. The hospital has run at persistent deficits and has been unable to upgrade; may be looking at downsizing nursing staff…

NURS-FPX4060 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Presentation Objectives

Hello everyone. My name is …. Welcome to today’s presentation. In this presentation, we will explore one of the patient safety issues affecting our organization: Surgical Site Infections (SSIs). It will also introduce an improvement plan to address the issue and discuss why it is essential to address the issue. In addition, we will explore our role in driving the improvement plan and the importance of making it a success. Finally, we will explore the new processes recommended to enhance professional development and collect your feedback on the new improvement plan.

Hello everyone. Welcome to today’s presentation. This presentation provides a disaster recovery plan aimed at helping a community to reduce health disparities and improve access to services following a disaster. The determinants of health and the cultural, social, and economic barriers impacting the community’s safety, health and recovery efforts will be discussed. Additionally, the proposed plan for lessening health disparities and improving access to community services, as well as the impact of health and governmental policies on disaster recovery efforts, will be included. Finally, we will mention the evidence-based strategies to overcome communication and enhance interprofessional collaboration to promote disaster recovery efforts.

Disaster and Disaster Preparedness, Management, and Response

Before we delve deeper into the factors influencing disaster recovery and response, let us understand disaster, disaster preparedness, management, response, and recovery. A disaster is a natural or manmade event that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, causing adverse effects on people and property. For example the catastrophic event that occurred in valley city, explosion and fire following the oil tanker train derailment is a disaster, since it caused disruption in the normal community life, led to destruction of property, and loss of lives.

According to Dariagan et al. (2021), disaster preparedness entails communities being ready for disaster and preparing in case it occurs, thus decreasing the impact. Disaster management and response involve taking action during disaster occurrences while following the preparedness plan that has already been developed. Disaster recovery refers to the continuous process of returning a community to normal functioning following a disaster.

Determinants of Health in Relation to Disaster and Recovery Efforts in the Community

Various determinants of health considerably impact the ability of the community to maintain disaster recovery efforts. These determinants include socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, infrastructure, environment, policy and governance, and social determinants such as support networks. The socioeconomic status of a community determines its vulnerability and the ability to recover following disasters. In addition, access to healthcare services before, during, and after a disaster is important for mitigating its health impacts.

The community’s infrastructural conditions may impede or facilitate disaster recovery efforts. The environmental determinants such as sanitation and air and water quality following a disaster complicate disaster recovery efforts. Brakefield et al. (2022) note that social determinants of health, such as social support networks, increase resilience and recovery efforts after a disaster. These factors are interrelated in that one determinant may affect the other. For instance, unemployment (an economic determinant) affects community members’ access to healthcare services.

Cultural, Social, and Economic Barriers Impacting Safety, Health, and Disaster Recovery Efforts

●However, various cultural, social and economic barriers influence a community’s safety, health and disaster recovery efforts. These barriers result from the heavy influence of the social, cultural, and economic factors on the health and safety of a community. The cultural barriers that impact safety, health, and disaster recovery include beliefs and practices, language and communication barriers, and cultural competency from the disaster response team.

The economic barriers include a lack of access to safe housing, limited financial resources, and unaffordability of healthcare services, which may exacerbate health disparities during disasters. According to Brakefield et al. (2022), the Social barriers influencing health, safety, and disaster recovery include poor access to information, inadequate social networks and support systems, and having vulnerable populations in the community.

Proposed Disaster Recovery Plan in Lessening Health Disparities and Improve Access to Community Services

A disaster recovery plan is crucial for the community to help lessen health disparities and improve access to community services. Health and other common utility services are the most essential needs in a community during a disaster. Therefore, reducing disparities and ensuring equal access to community services is vital. It is worth noting that vulnerable health populations are most affected during a disaster and thus need consideration.

The proposed disaster recovery plan to assist valley city in disaster preparedness and response, has four phases: mitigation, preparedness response, and recovery, will identify community resources and personnel required in the recovery efforts, identify vulnerable populations, and provide community and other health services to all community members without discrimination. Additionally, the principles of social justice, including equity, access to resources, and human rights, will be used to ensure that all individuals, families, and aggregates in the community have received the necessary disaster response without discrimination.

Impact of Health and Governmental Policies on Disaster Recovery Efforts

Among the factors influencing disaster recovery efforts in communities are government and health policies. Government and health policies significantly influence disaster recovery efforts in a community and affect individuals, families, and aggregates in the community differently. There are various health and government policies impacting disaster recovery. The policies impacting disaster recovery efforts include the Robert T. Stafford Disaster and Emergency Assistance Act, which provides aid and assistance to citizens during emergencies. Margus et al. (2023) note that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides disaster management and relief funds. The agency also declares a disaster an emergency.

The other health and governmental policies influencing disaster recovery efforts include the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA). The DRRA encourages communities to embrace disaster preparedness and management as a shared responsibility. The Americans with Disabilities Act also influences disaster recovery efforts. The act ensures that individuals with disabilities have equal access to emergency services, facilities and programs.

Kristian (2022) notes that the Americans with Disabilities Act also facilitates communication accessibility, evaluation assistance, and enhances non-discrimination and equal treatment for people with disabilities during disaster, hence lessening health disparities. The policy implications of these policies on individuals, families, and aggregates in the community include providing basic essential services during a disaster, training on disaster preparedness and management, and providing humanitarian assistance before the community gets back to normalcy. Having created awareness on these policies and their impact on disaster recovery efforts, valley city can now use them during disasters to get the necessary assistance and promote disaster recovery efforts.

Evidence-based Strategies to Overcome Communication Barriers

Communication is critical in delivering disaster response and facilitating recovery efforts in the community. Barriers to communication negatively affect disaster response and recovery efforts in a community. However, various strategies can be used to overcome these barriers. These include appropriately selecting communication channels suitable for community members and maintaining a hierarchical communication approach from one source to prevent misinformation and miscommunication. The disaster response team should also communicate and recommunicate important messages for clarification. Lovari and Bowen (2020) note that it is essential to encourage two-way communication between the disaster response team and community members for feedback and active participation.

Evidence-based Strategies to Enhance Interprofessional Collaboration to Improve Disaster Recovery Efforts

Since disaster recovery is a collective initiative, different professionals are actively involved in the disaster response and discovery team. These professionals include nurses, physicians, public health officers, social workers, psychologists, IT specialists, and risk management professionals. Therefore, interprofessional collaboration is needed for the team members to work together efficiently. The strategies enhancing interprofessional collaboration to improve disaster recovery include open communication, establishing leadership, and having clearly defined roles and responsibilities. A study by Kristian (2022) shows that delegating disaster response and recovery tasks enhances effort success and enables each professional to focus and use their expertise to benefit the team efforts and the community.

Conclusion

Disasters are catastrophic events that happen unexpectedly, hence the need for a disaster preparedness, management, and recovery effort plan. Educating community members in the entire process is essential since participating is their responsibility. The disaster recovery team should identify the social, economic, and cultural barriers and strategize to overcome them. Considering the available health and government policies on disaster recovery is also crucial. As discussed above, effective communication and collaboration benefit the disaster recovery team and the community members.

References

●Brakefield, W. S., Olusanya, O. A., White, B., & Shaban-Nejad, A. (2022). Social Determinants and Indicators of COVID-19 Among Marginalized Communities: A Scientific Review and Call to Action for Pandemic Response and Recovery. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 17, e193. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2022.104

●Dariagan, J. D., Atando, R. B., & Asis, J. L. B. (2021). Disaster preparedness of local governments in Panay Island, Philippines. Natural hazards, 105(2), 1923-1944. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04383-0

●Kristian, I. (2022). Decision Making in Disaster Management Operations: Challenges and Opportunities. Journal of Public Management and Public Policy 4(2), 82-91. https://doi.org/10.36085/jmpkp.v4i2.4687

●Lovari, A., & Bowen, S. A. (2020). Social media in disaster communication: A case study of strategies, barriers, and ethical implications. Journal of Public Affairs, 20(1), e1967. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.1967

●Margus, C., Hertelendy, A., Tao, Y., Coltey, E., Chen, S. C., Luis, S., Shyu, M. L., & Ciottone, G. R. (2023). United States Federal Emergency Management Agency regional clustering by disaster exposure: a new paradigm for disaster response. Natural Hazards (Dordrecht, Netherlands), 116(3), 3427–3445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-023-05817-1