Volunteer Nurses Needed for Hurricane Emergency!

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Volunteer Nurses Needed for Hurricane Emergency!

We hope that you and your family have weathered the hurricane safely! Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.

Many have not been as lucky as we have. The LA-OEP (Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness) is requesting healthcare volunteers. This includes ALL levels of nursing expertise. If you and your family are safe, please volunteer - there is a tremendous need for nurses. Call 225-389-2100 and ask for "Medical". They are expecting your call. If the line is busy, please keep calling.

Please pass this on to anyone you think may be of help. Thank you!

LSNA

Found the following links on another site I frequent:

For anyone looking to help, the Federal Emergency Management Agency lists these organizations for those seeking to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina:

To donate cash

American Red Cross (800) HELP NOW (435-7669)

Operation Blessing (800) 436-6348

America's Second Harvest (800) 344-8070

To donate cash or volunteer

Adventist Community Services (800) 381-7171

Catholic Charities, USA (703) 549-1390

Christian Disaster Response (941) 956-5183 or (941) 551-9554

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (800) 848-5818

Church World Service (800) 297-1516

Convoy of Hope (417) 823-8998

Lutheran Disaster Response (800) 638-3522

Mennonite Disaster Service (717) 859-2210

Nazarene Disaster Response (888) 256-5886

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (800) 872-3283

Salvation Army (800) SAL-ARMY (725-2769)

Southern Baptist Convention -- Disaster Relief (800) 462-8657, ext. 6133

United Methodist Committee on Relief (800) 554-8583

http://www.phpbber.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=124328&mforum=board77#124328

Specializes in Ultrasound guided peripheral IV's..

I have heard, and this information may not be correct, but if

FEMA is involved I think that there is a Federal blanket that covers those not licensed in the state where the disaster has happened. Again, this information may be incorrect.

Dan

What about those licensed outside of the U.S.? I'm Canadian, and have a week's vacation coming up, after Labour Day.

I have heard, and this information may not be correct, but if

FEMA is involved I think that there is a Federal blanket that covers those not licensed in the state where the disaster has happened. Again, this information may be incorrect.

Dan

I heard news reports asking for Nurses for Slidell LA and got the same impression. A license anywhere in the US will do under these circumstances.

As a 15 year vet of Disaster relief ops with several organizations, I have some points you might consider.

License issues are handled by exceptions built into most states Nurse Practice Acts specifically for emergency use. It's also been noted that FEMA is a federal agency, and like the VA, all that is required is a valid license from ANY state. While the American Red Cross is not a government agency, it was chartered by the US congress and that carries certain quasi-governmental benefits.

Please do not go to the disaster area unless you are affiliated with one of the agencies mentioned in this thread. An earnest desire to help often results in spontaneous volunteers getting in the way more than providing actual aid.

Cash, even a little bit, is by far the best thing you can send to relief agencies. It doesn't rot, it doesn't need trucks to carry it around, it doesn't need to be warehoused, and best of all, it allows agencies the flexibility to deliver exactly the needed aid at the needed time.

Also very important. If you cannot go to this one. THERE WILL BE MORE!!! I promise that this is not going to be the last major disaster to befall America. Soooo, when the next one happens, will you be ready to help? Call your local Red Cross NOW and start the process of becoming a trained disaster volunteer. Nurses may want to ask specifically about volunteering in the Disaster Health Services function. Find your local chapter at http://www.redcross.org

LA Nursing Board is coordinating with the other state boards for volunteers. You are to contact your local Board of Nursing who will verify your license/certification status per the National Disaster plan and forward a list of Volunteers to LA Board of Nursing.

Please do not overwhelm LA Board of Nursing with individual calls of offers to volunteer.

The LA Board of Nursing does not have the time to do license checks on nurses who call them from out of state.

Contact the Red Cross. Today in East Texas a local nursing school sent students to there and they were directed to the fairgrounds where many refugees are being sheltered. It was a huge experience for the students.

Health dept needs licensed medical professionals:

225-763-5704

Not sure if this number has already been posted, haven't had time to read this thread since I started. I have been working at the local shelter set up in my city and am about to go back. Watching the local news and just saw this number flash on the bottom of the screen.

Thanks for any help.

Do they need surgical techs?

Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

sunnyjohn - contact http://www.texasnp.org/. I know they were looking for OR nurses, so it isnt unlikely they are needing techs too.

I followed the link posted on the NY State nurse's association page (nysna.org). I'm a young, single girl who's currently living alone and was planning on putting in my two weeks' resignation today anyway for work, because I'm interviewing at another hospital down in Pittsburgh. (My manager found out that I was thinking of leaving and told me that I had "two weeks to decide what I want" and then she wasn't paying for my orientation the unit anymore, so basically I'm being TOLD to put in my two weeks! GR!) But the number given to me by nysna.org, well here's what the article said:

The LA-OEP (Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness) is requesting healthcare volunteers. This includes ALL levels of nursing expertise. There is a tremendous need for nurses. Call 225.389.2100 and ask for "Medical." They are expecting your call; if the line is busy, please keep calling. ---nysna.org

The woman on the phone took my information and said that the LA State BON will be organizing very soon and I should be expecting a phone call back "very very soon". When asked how long I could stay, I told her "indefinatly", as my financial affairs are in order at least for the next month, so I'll be able to go for that amount of time if need be!

I just think...as a nurse, as a PERSON, there are people down there who have NOTHING. We can all muddle through somehow with what we've got- but those folks need us, and far be it for me to sit here in New York state, lamenting on my personal troubles when they are so in need. Sometimes, you ahve to be part of something bigger than yourself.

I followed the link posted on the NY State nurse's association page (nysna.org). I'm a young, single girl who's currently living alone and was planning on putting in my two weeks' resignation today anyway for work, because I'm interviewing at another hospital down in Pittsburgh. (My manager found out that I was thinking of leaving and told me that I had "two weeks to decide what I want" and then she wasn't paying for my orientation the unit anymore, so basically I'm being TOLD to put in my two weeks! GR!) But the number given to me by nysna.org, well here's what the article said:

The LA-OEP (Louisiana Office of Emergency Preparedness) is requesting healthcare volunteers. This includes ALL levels of nursing expertise. There is a tremendous need for nurses. Call 225.389.2100 and ask for "Medical." They are expecting your call; if the line is busy, please keep calling. ---nysna.org

The woman on the phone took my information and said that the LA State BON will be organizing very soon and I should be expecting a phone call back "very very soon". When asked how long I could stay, I told her "indefinatly", as my financial affairs are in order at least for the next month, so I'll be able to go for that amount of time if need be!

I just think...as a nurse, as a PERSON, there are people down there who have NOTHING. We can all muddle through somehow with what we've got- but those folks need us, and far be it for me to sit here in New York state, lamenting on my personal troubles when they are so in need. Sometimes, you ahve to be part of something bigger than yourself.

That is so kind of you. Please go and help if they need you and you are able to go. We need to pull together right now. It is breaking my heart watching the stories come out of the disaster area on the news. It is absolutely awful down there. Good luck to you, hope it works out for you.

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