Hurricanes! Yiikes

rockabye · Mar 27, 2011

Most hospitals in a hurricane zone have plans for natural disasters. You can usually find these plans by just asking management. You want to bring non-perishable food and bottles of water, toiletries, linens, and some change of clothes. Some hospitals will let your kids stay with you at the hospital if you plan for them ahead of time. If you are working and the building takes structural damage, you listen to orders and be safe and there are always emergency crews to help evacuate if the situation becomes dire. It is nice that hurricanes usually have a few days warning. If you have a family to care for, it's a good idea to figure out an emergency plan so you don't wait until the last minute. To get things back to normal depends on what was damaged and how long it will take to repair. Sometimes electricity may be off for weeks, sometimes the water system is broken, and there is usually some water and wind damage. The best way to get back to normal is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

GreyGull · Mar 27, 2011

Here is some information for a broad view of what happens during a disaster.

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/hcp.asp

I suggest you read your facility's P&P to find out exactly what is expected of you. There may be a condition of employment that you are available to work during a disaster which is usually divided into pre, during and after plans.

When working, I suggest you take a few changes of clothes, waterless wipes, bottled water, energy or snack bars, fruit that won't perish rapidly like oranges, a couple of personal flashlights with extra batteries and extra cellphone battery. Keep your personal items in waterproof containers or a heavy plastic bag.

I also recommend placing a message on your phone with your condition, location and telling people you will be checking your messages periodically but please don't tie up the lines unless absolutely necessary. Too many curious info seekers from other states will want to call you up for a chat if they know you are in the middle of a disaster zone. Unnecessary chatter will tie up lines for those who need the phone airwaves for real emergencies.

Hopefully the hospital will take the necessary steps to secure their building before the hurricane. Ask questions about the windows and doors of your management at the start of a hurricane season. Know what type of backup power your equipment, electronic supply carts and med machines need or how they can be opened in a power outage. Generators can fail. Know how many O2 patients you have. If your patients have to be evacuated or your hospital O2 supply runs low or is damaged, those on significant O2 may have to have their code status changed and comfort care plans initiated. If there is time, the patient might need to be evacuted from the facility early. Have a clear brief summary of all of your patients and their code status available incase the building or your wing needs to be evacuated.

If you live in a hurricane zone, you should already have personal preparations arranged for your children and valuables. A few hospitals may set up for families to stay in the hospital as an evacuation facility but an adult will still have to watch your kids. Definitely have copies of your important papers with you and the originals stored in some vault that is high and dry.

If your area takes a serious hit, expect to be asked to remain on duty. It may also be safer than driving home with power lines down.

To help you get back to normal, make sure you have the right insurance coverage. Renters sometimes fall very short on this. Others don't plan on needing housing for several months while their homes are being repaired. Wind, flood, fire, homeowners: all things to consider for different policies.

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Mar 27, 2011

Have worked through several hurricanes. I usually volunteer to be on the A crew (actually there during) rather than B crew (aftermath/relief).

All the above posts are excellent about what to bring. A blow-up twin air mattress was a life saver for me too. I wasn't forced to sleep in the rooms lined with cot after cot. Reminded me of a prison. I could find a dark corner and curl up.

Communication during and after w/ loved ones is horrible. Land lines were down and cell phones were jammed. It is nerve wracking. Text messages were coming hours and hours late.

I would like to invest in a portable digital tv. Before antenna tv's were extinct, we all huddled around little tvs we brought to catch up dates. So much better seeing the circular swirl with the eye than trying to imagine where it was from the radio broadcast.

BrookeeLou_RN · Mar 28, 2011

When working in LTC, we could bring family and even pets, and personal stuff, They had food and water ready

When working in hospital, had to make sure family could take kids and pets to a shelter if need be that accepted pets.. Signed up in advance.. Thankfully never needed them. Hospital was on lock down. The item previously suggested would be great, food of your preference..hospital had food but ?? taste but they did have water, air mattress, blanket, pillow were top choices. because you get soem notice many of us baked, cooked non perishable food, kinda ate our way thru storm. One storm went right over the hospital, windows shattered, we were in hallways with patients, door shut, generators kicked in. Was a bit dramatic for those few minutes. But in FL this is the norm so places are prepared and have policy for everything.

Now earthquakes, tsunamis.. that would really scare me...

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Mar 28, 2011

Is anyone here who worked during Katrina?

OP, I clicked on your post because my one track sports-minded brain thought you were referring to the Carolina Hurricanes...thus the first part of my user name...but then I was able to switch gears. Sheesh. Forgive me.

You have a lot of loaded questions. If you live in an area that is subject to severe weather, you should always keep a bag packed that includes 3 days worth of clothes, a pair of steel toed boots, water, antibacterial lotion, and MREs. You should also have some gloves, a small first aid kit, a flashlight, batteries, a pair of trauma shears and a handheld radio. I also pack my gear with a few bags of LR, a few IV start kits and some airway supplies (I am married to a disaster manager for the South). It is also helpful to have a lighter or some matches. I carry a "grill lighter". I also have some Kevlar gloves in case I need to protect my hands while sifting through rubble. I pack my N-95 mask as well.

Contact your emergency preparedness coordinator at your hospital in order to get a more complete list of what you need to prepare for severe weather.