Disaster is a sudden, catastrophic event that causes significant disruption, destruction, and distress, often overwhelming the affected community's ability to cope using its resources
Disasters result in deaths, injuries, illness, and property damage that cannot be effectively managed using routine procedures or resources and require outside assistance
Disaster nursing is the adaptation of professional nursing knowledge, skills, and attitude in recognizing and meeting the nursing, health, and emotional needs of disaster victims
Disaster nurses play a critical role in managing the health and well-being of individuals affected by emergencies, ensuring rapid and effective response to mitigate further harm and promote recovery
Disasters can be caused by natural hazards like earthquakes, floods, or disease outbreaks, as well as human-made hazards including industrial accidents, chemical spills, or unsafe infrastructure
Hazards are conditions or events with the potential to cause harm, and their identification is crucial for risk assessment and disaster preparedness
Disasters can be classified based on onset (sudden-onset or slow-onset), impact (natural or man-made), duration (acute/short-term or chronic/long-term), and other categories like internal and external disasters
There are three phases of a disaster: pre-impact phase, impact phase, and post-impact phase
During the pre-impact phase, warnings are given, emergency preparedness plans are activated, and communication is established to prepare for the disaster
The impact phase is when the disaster occurs, and it is a time of enduring hardship or injury as individuals try to survive
The post-impact phase involves recovery and the return to normal community order and functioning, with victims going through stages of emotional response including denial, strong emotional response, acceptance, and recovery
The disaster continuum, also known as the Emergency Management Cycle, consists of three phases: pre-impact (0-24 hours), impact (24-72 hours), and post-impact (more than 72 hours)
Disasterepidemiology involves the study of health-related determinants, distribution of events, adverse health effects of disasters, and contributory factors to the effects of disasters to match available resources to the needs of disaster-affected populations