Emergency Management Phases and Infectious Disease Clinic Preparedness- Policies Procedures and Resource Overview
In its ideal definition, emergency preparedness refers to any steps that are undertaken to safeguard oneself before, during, and after the occurrence of a natural (earthquake, tornadoes, and floods) or unnatural disaster (explosions and biological attacks). According to a recent survey by the Federal Emergency Management Authority (2017), 80% of Americans are now aware of the significance of emergency preparedness after the events of the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina. However, even with these staggering statistics, the vast proportion of Americans has not demonstrated their ability to effectively adhere to the standards of emergency management going by the recent California Fires and the surge of COVID-19 infections and deaths, particularly in the larger New York metropolitan. The following literature critically analyzes the components of emergency management and discusses the policies and procedures that public health facilities have in place for controlling infectious diseases. Additionally, the literature shall also identify the local, state, and federal emergency preparedness resources available to the public.
Four Phases of Emergency Management
According to FEMA, it is pertinent that those responsible for emergency preparedness think of disasters or calamities as recurring events that take place through four major phases, including Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.
Mitigation: In this phase, the actions that individuals should be encouraged to take are those that avert or decrease the cause, effect, and ramifications of disasters. Some of the examples of disaster mitigation may include purchasing insurance policies, levels of construction to control flooding, digging water channels to redirect water.
Preparedness: For this phase, some of the activities that ought to be undertaken include planning, training, as well as educational activities for all those events that cannot be averted. Some of the activities that ought to be undertaken in the preparedness phase include developing disaster preparedness plans, exercising plans through the use of drills, formulating a supply list, and identifying vulnerabilities that may cause harm to, be it an organizational or home setup (CDC, 2019).
Response: The response stage takes place immediately after the occurrence of the disaster. It is typical for businesses alongside other operations not to function optimally during this phase. As such, wellbeing alongside personal safety during an emergency and the duration of the response phase rely on the level of preparedness. Some examples of response activities include implementing disaster response plans, undertaking search and rescue missions, ensuring an adequate supply of essential medical supplies, and addressing public perceptions regarding food security (CDC, 2019).
Recovery: During the recovery phase, the restoration efforts take place simultaneously with regular activities and operations. The recovery duration from a given disaster may be prolonged. Some of the activities that usually take place during the recovery phase include the restoration of damaged structures, the reduction of vulnerability to future disasters, and the reduction of stress-related burdens alongside excessive financial losses.
Policies and Procedures in the Practicum Setting
The policies and procedures at the Infectious Clinic of New York Public Hospitals are heavily borrowed from a policy developed by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The following key attributes of the policy:
The policy calls for the preparation of any emergencies through the integration of the overall hospital Emergency Risk Management Program.
The policy requires an ongoing assessment of risks arising from the interaction of potential hazards, community vulnerabilities as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the health system. Besides, the policy also places emphasis on risk reduction alongside emergency preparedness initiatives, including emergency response planning, training, and drills.
The policy also calls for the commitment of the clinic alongside the community (with the clinic’s support to engage in preparedness activities that are aimed at decreasing the risks linked with an emergency as well as acquiring the needed capacity for effective emergency response. This may include undertaking specific emergency preparedness initiatives to create as well as expand communication channels between the clinic and the community (World Health Organization, 2019).
The policy further requires periodic reassessment as well as updating of the Hospital Emergency Risk Management Program to take into consideration new lessons and developments learned from previous emergencies and exercises (World H