FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

MODULE 1
CONCEPTS OF DISASTER NURSING

OVERVIEW:
In the global community within which we all live, concern for the health and well-being
of our citizens and for the sustainability of our environment has not diminished in any way. In
light of recent world events, our concerns have now expanded to include hazards such as
emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, the ubiquitous fear of terrorism and the
detonation of nuclear weapons, an increasing awareness of the danger of climate change, and
the devastating health impact of the forces of Mother Nature on communities affected by
natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and volcanic eruptions (Veenema, 2013)
In the Philippines, disaster has always been a part and parcel of the lives of Filipino people.
Filipinos learned to become resilient as catastrophe strike most part of the country in its two
seasons. In this module, we will determine some of the reasons why the Philippines is usually
hit by untoward incidents, whether man-made or natural calamities as we navigate through the
concepts of Emergency and Disaster Nursing.

Learning Outcome:
At the end of this topic the students will be able to:

• Understand the Concepts of Emergency and Disaster Nursing

• Define Disaster, Emergency and Disaster Nursing
• Determine why is the Philippines a country prone to disaster
• Differentiate the types of Disasters

Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

Topic Outline:

I. CONCEPTS OF DISASTER NURSING

II. THE PHILIPPINES AS DISASTER PRONE COUNTRY
III. TYPES OF DISASTER

LEARNING CONTENT:
I. CONCEPTS OF DISASTER NURSING

Definition of Disaster

• A sudden, unplanned event that makes it difficult, or impossible for a facility to carry out
essential activities. During a disaster, the needed resources are greater than those
available
• An event in which the demand for health services from the event or existing patients,
exceeds the ability of the facility to provide those services.
• A disaster can occur at any level – local, state, regional, country or multiple countries.
• A disaster is present when need exceeds resources.

• Any destructive event that disrupts the normal functioning of a community.

• Disasters have been defined as ecologic disruptions, or emergencies, of a severity and

magnitude that result in deaths, injuries, illness, and property damage that cannot be
effectively.

Disaster = Need > Resources

• A response need that is greater than the response available.

Disaster- dis·as·ter n.
a. An occurrence causing widespread destruction
Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

and distress
b. a catastrophe
c. a grave misfortune.

D - Destructions
I - Incidents
S - Sufferings
A - Administrative, Financial Failures.
S - Sentiments
T - Tragedies
E - Eruption of Communicable diseases.
R - Research program and its implementation

Disasters affect the health status of a community in the following ways:

■ Disasters may cause premature deaths, illnesses, and injuries in the affected community,
generally exceeding the capacity of the local health care system.
■ Disasters may destroy the local health care infrastructure, which will therefore be unable to
respond to the emergency. Disruption of routine health care services and prevention initiatives
may lead to long-term consequences in health outcomes in terms of increased morbidity and
mortality.
■ Disasters may create environmental imbalances, increasing the risk of communicable diseases
and environmental hazards.
■ Disasters may affect the psychological, emotional, and social well-being of the population in
the affected community. Depending on the specific nature of the disaster, responses may range
from fear, anxiety, and depression to widespread panic and terror.
■ Disasters may cause shortages of food and cause severe nutritional deficiencies.
■ Disasters may cause large population movements (refugees) creating a burden on other health
care systems and communities. Displaced populations and their host communities are at
increased risk for communicable diseases and the health consequences of crowded living
conditions. (Noji, 1996)

Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

Emergency

• A sudden, unexpected event requiring immediate action due to a potential threat to health,
life, property or environment.

Emergency Management

• The care given to patients with urgent and critical needs.

Emergency Nursing

• Is a nursing specialty in which nurses’ care for patients in the emergency or critical phase of
their illness or injury.

Emergency Nurse

• A nurse specialized in rapid assessment and treatment when every second counts, particularly
during the initial phase of acute illness and trauma.

• A nurse that had a specialized education, training and experience to gain expertise in assessing
and identifying patient health care problem in crisis situation.

First Responder

• Local police, fire & emergency medical personnel who arrive first on the scene of an incident &
take action to save lives, protect property, & meet basic human needs.

Emergency Medical services

• A system encompasses all aspect of emergency care. The systems are responsible for
establishing, regulating coordinating, and monitoring the components involved in the
provision of emergency care.
• EMS is created to provide emergency care to patients as quickly as possible.

Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

Principles of Emergency Care: “Treat the potentially life threatening first” Goals of Emergency
Care:
1. Preserve life
2. Prevent deterioration before definitive treatment
3. Restore patient to useful living.

Disaster Nursing

• The adaptation of professional nursing knowledge and skills in recognizing and meeting
the needs of disaster victims.

Types of Victims:
1. Direct victims – those killed, injured, or who lost properties
2. Indirect victim – family, friends, co-workers and those identified with the victims
3. Hidden victims – crisis workers, police, red cross volunteers, rescuers, firemen, staff, disaster
managers, hospital workers

Why is the Philippines Disaster Prone?

Geographical
1. Typhoon Corridor
Average of 20 typhoons occur yearly
2. Geographical Location: the country lies within the “Pacific Ring of Fire” where 80% of the
world’s earthquake occur.
3. Physical Structure: composed of 7,107 islands/ along shoreline. Rugged terrain, 22 of the
country’s 220 volcanoes are scattered all over the archipelago is active.

Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

4. Socio-economic status:
a. Population (110 M)
b. Social class ratio
c. Armed conflict, demolition and the so-called development projects displace families and
communities.
d. The poverty situation of majority of the Filipinos restricts their capacity to cope with these
hazards, and more so, to recover rapidly from damages brought by disasters.

5. Environmental degradation:

• El Niño Phenomenon induces long dry spell in many parts of the country
• La Niña Phenomenon induces long rain downpour in many parts of the country
• Global Climate Change
• Destruction of the country’s environment

Types of Disasters

• Natural

• Man-made

• Technological

A. NATURAL
- those caused by natural or environmental forces
- result of an ecological disruption or threat that exceeds the adjustment capacity of the
affected community.
- Example: Earthquake, floods, tornadoes, hurricane, volcanic eruption, tsunami, and
other geological and meteorological phenomenon.

Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

Earthquake

• Shaking caused by movements of plates in the earth’s crust

• Occur along faults – borders between two plates

• Occur most often along the Pacific Ring of Fire

• The primary health concern:

• Injuries arising from structural collapse

• Well known prevention

• strategy is to prevent
• buildings from collapsing
• “DUCK, COVER & HOLD – Action to do during earthquake

Floods

• Floods may originate very quickly following a quick rain storm, a heavy rain, or they may
develop over a short period following an extended period of rain or quick snow melt
• May involve rivers overflowing, storm surge/ocean waves, & dams or levees breaking
• Flashfloods = floods that happen very fast
• The primary hazard from flooding is drowning
• Health concerns from flooding is the development of disease from contaminated water
and lack of hygiene.

Tornado

• Rotating funnel-shaped clouds from powerful

• thunderstorms which form over land

• Generates stronger winds up to 300 MPH which

• form within a short time thus, warnings are harder to get out in time
• Occur in the United States than anywhere else in the world

• The primary hazard: risk for injuries from flying debris. The high winds and circular
nature of a tornado leads to the elevation and transport of anything that is not fastened
down. Some individuals are injured while on the ground. Others are lifted into the air by
the tornado and dropped at another location.

Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

Hurricane

• Originates from the ocean, gathers strength as it

• glides across the water causing tidal surge which in turn brings flood
• Clouds & winds greater than 75 MPH spin around the eye

• Follows a loosely defined course, giving time for safety warnings

• Primary health hazard: risk of drowning from the storm surge associated with the
landfall of the storm. Secondarily, a hazard exists for injuries from flying debris due to
the high winds.

Volcanic Eruption

• More than 500 active volcanoes in the world;

• over half in the Ring of Fire

• Pressure builds below the earth’s surface producing eruptions of lava, rock, & volcanic
gases

• Over the 25-year period (1972-1996), there was an average of

• 6 eruptions per year, causing an average of 1017 deaths and 285 injuries
• Health outcomes are associated with volcanic eruptions:
o Respiratory illnesses from the inhalation of ash
o For individuals close to the volcano, some danger exists from lava flows, or more
likely mud flows

Tsunami

• Form as a result of earthquakes, volcanoes,

• or landsides under the ocean

• Waves grow taller as they reach the coast

• Four out of Five occur in the Ring of Fire

Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

Some natural signs of Tsunami:

1. A felt earthquake
2. Unusual sea level changes: sudden sea water retreat or rise.
3. Rumbling sound of approaching waves.
* Stay out of danger areas until “all clear” is issued by competent authority.

B. MAN MADE
- human generated, direct causes are identifiable human actions, deliberate or otherwise.

Classification of Man-made Disasters

* Complex emergencies
* Technological disasters
* Disasters not caused by natural hazards but occur in human settlements

• Complex Emergencies
– casualties as a result of war, civil
– other political conflict.

• Technological disasters people, property, community

– infrastructure & economic welfare
– are directly affected by major
– industrial accidents
– (unplanned release of nuclear energy, fires or explosions from
hazardous substances)

• Na-Techs or Natural & Technological

– a natural disaster or phenomenon
– may trigger a secondary disaster,
– the result of weaknesses in the
– human environment;

Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022
 FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF NURSING
2ND SEMESTER 2021-2022
NUR 1221- DISASTER NURSING

Example of Man-made disaster:

• Biological terrorism
• Biochemical terrorism
• Chemical spills
• Radiologic/nuclear events
• Fires
• Blast/explosion
• Transportation accidents
• Armed conflicts
• Act of wars

Discussion Board:

Based on your knowledge, can you consider Covid-19 Pandemic a disaster? I if so, how do you
classify Covid-19 pandemic as to the type of disaster? Discuss your answer.

Reference:

Disaster Nursing and Emergency Preparedness for Chemical, Biological, and Radiological
Terrorism and Other Hazards by Tener Goodwin Veenema 4th Edition, 2019.

Prepared by:
NUR 1221 – EDN Team AY 2021-2022