Question

Discussion Question #1: As the world progresses into the twenty-first century, one aspect of health care -- disaster planning -- requires urgent attention. Not only does each year bring killer tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, floods, and wildfires, the threat of spreading disease and terrorist attacks continues to loom. Health care practitioners are on the front lines during any disaster, and the logistical and ethical concerns associated with caring for populations during these events fall heavily on their shoulders. If all assigned health care practitioners can't report for duty, who will take charge? Should triage (an assessment of the injured should receive treatment first) proceed as in normal times, and who will be responsible for deciding? Will nurses be expected to perform as surgeons, technicians as pharmacists, or aids as nurses? Every health care facility should have a disaster plan and should practice implementation of the plan periodically. In your opinion, would it be ethical, in case of a disaster, for triage personnel to recommend treating only those inured individuals who could recover?

Answer 1

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If all assigned health care practitioner can’t report on duty I think Nurses should take charge over as nurses are well trained in all aspects.

Triage team should proceed as in normal time as they are experienced in that particular department.

Team will have high expectation on Nurses as they have experience in all the health care areas

My option on treating only individuals who could recover is not ethical all the patients should be treated same .