Hurricane Patricia Mexico Relief Aide

[cbrown1216]

I am a senior nursing student and wanted to assist the relief effort from hurricane Patricia. How do I go about this? I'm sure I can't just fly there and show up to a Red Cross staging area to offer my help, but none of the groups I've reached out to over the past week have responded to any of my emails or phone messages.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

It could be that the groups are not able to accommodate someone on such short notice. I'm sure there is required training and other requirements to complete. Perhaps check with the Red Cross and get on a list to volunteer with the next response?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

I am a senior nursing student and wanted to assist the relief effort from hurricane Patricia. How do I go about this? I'm sure I can't just fly there and show up to a Red Cross staging area to offer my help, but none of the groups I've reached out to over the past week have responded to any of my emails or phone messages.

First, you really need to volunteer before a disaster do you can be trained and ready to be respond with your background and credentials verified.

Second, if nurses are needed they require a valid nursing license and cannot accept student assistance overseas. If you show up unasked you will likely be turned away. Are you fluent in Mexican Spanish?

Third the nursing in a disaster is not hands on care (field and hospital nurses are staffed by local licensed nursing personnel) disaster nurses are more of a public health, case management, first aid in a shelter type of role. All training done pre-deployment

I used to be a disaster volunteer and training coordinator. I also lived in an area slammed by a hurricane. All healthcare, EMS and hospital/clinic nursing was provided by local nurses (provides for the economy) or local staffing agencies.

Student nurses are not routinely used in disaster health services as they are not licensed. They can usually work as shelter or response volunteers Luke any other volunteer.