Be Better Prepared for Disasters and Emergencies - Research leads the Way

Online, November 11, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Melbourne, Australia - 11 November 2009-Devoted to the critical and contemporary topic of disasters and emergencies, the December 2009 issue of Nursing & Health Sciences has released a special issue entitled "Disasters and Emergencies: Preparing, Managing and Experiencing". Published by Wiley-Blackwell, this collection of papers provides valuable insights from personal experiences and disaster reports as well as discussions of research findings aimed at improving the management of disasters and emergencies.

Through publication of this special issue, the editors hope to assist health professionals, policy makers, governments and non-government agencies around the world to help communities and countries be better prepared to avoid or manage disasters and emergencies - either man-made or natural.

Author of the Guest Editorial Professor Paul Arbon said, "The role of nurses and other health-care professionals in developing the capacity and resilience of communities, as well as re-establishing health-care services and providing ongoing care during all phases of a disaster has the greatest impact on the survival and recovery of affected populations. Understanding the current and evolving health status of populations will assist in preparing, responding and surviving through a disaster."

A paper in this issue, ""Early psychosocial interventions after disasters, terrorism, and other shocking events: guideline development", describes the formation of guidelines around psychosocial interventions during the first six weeks of a disaster and aims to summarize the procedure for psychosocial care. Developed by a national panel of experts, these guidelines provide latest insights from science and practical experience about psychosocial interventions after disasters and other emergencies.

Another paper entitled "Disaster response: The University of Texas School of Nursing experience" describes how a school of nursing could be organized to respond to a community's call for help. The collaboration between the University and the City of Austin during the Hurricane Ike disaster helped the City of Austin through the provision of nursing volunteers that were vetted and trained. In return, the nursing students acquired valuable training in 'real-life 'disaster response experiences.

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These articles are published in the December Issue of Nursing and Health Sciences (Vol. 11, Issue 4)

About Nursing & Health Sciences
Nursing & Health Sciences (NHS) is the premier journal in Asia focusing on the exchange of knowledge in nursing and health sciences, particularly between the East and West. It has an international authorship, readership and Editorial Board. The journal was the first nursing and health sciences journal to be fully published in English in Japan. It began in 1999 and is owned by the Society for Nursing and Health Sciences at Yamaguchi University. It publishes peer-reviewed scientific papers on original research, education, practice, and policy as well as more informal papers describing personal experiences. By encouraging Eastern and Western scholars to share their knowledge and experiences, Nursing & Health Sciences provides readers with a deeper understanding of health care around the world, and the opportunity to enrich their own practices to improve global health.

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