About this topic
Welcome to emergency readiness. As we know from listening to news reports, natural disasters can happen at any time and any place. There are a wide variety of disasters such as earthquakes, flooding, fires, hurricanes, tornados, or blizzards that can, at the least, disrupt normal activities and at the most, cause widespread death and destruction. While entire populations are affected by these disasters, a family with a child who has a tracheostomy and ventilator are especially vulnerable.
While we all hope that none of these disasters will affect us or the children we care for, it is still imperative to plan for the disasters that are most likely to occur in any given situation. We cannot expect that outside aide and assistance will be readily available. The likelihood of a positive outcome is greatly enhanced with advanced planning.
This lesson will focus on the importance emergency readiness for children with special health care needs. Knowing the plan and your role in carrying out the plan is essential. Response to a disaster can be difficult because of the unpredictability of the timing, and the size and scope of the disaster. The level of support that is available in any given community is also variable. Common elements when planning for emergencies are to have an evacuation plan and an alternative source of shelter for the child. You can also plan for basic needs such as water, nutrition, medications, electrical or battery power for equipment and enough supplies to keep the child safe and stable.
What you will learn
After you complete this lesson you will be able to do the following:
- Recognize the importance of planning for emergencies and disasters.
- Review the impact and planning needed to respond to various potential natural disasters.
- Prepare an Emergency Readiness Home Care Plan, including community resources, for any children in your care.
Getting the most from this lesson
To learn more from this lesson we recommend that you approach it in the following way:
- Read through the information on the home page. The concept viewers give you additional information about the underlined terms.
- The lecture contains the primary content for the lesson.
- Work through the learning activity to apply the information from the lecture.
- You will be ready for the quiz after you have completed all components of the lesson.