Earthquake Disasters: Medical Response and Healthcare Challenges Essay

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What an Earthquake Disaster Is

In general terms, a disaster is any event that has the aptitude to impede the conventional functioning of society. This is relative to economic, political, social, and socio-economic activities. An earthquake refers to the destructive trembling of the ground for a prolonged or short-lived period. Therefore, an earthquake disaster infers abrupt and immense shaking of the ground for a duration and magnitude that can infringe the day-to-day activities. An earthquake mishap can raze buildings and infrastructure and consequently result in injuries and fatalities. An earthquake disaster might also result in auxiliary crises such as explosions and diseases stemming from radiation.

The Top Injuries to Expect in an Earthquake Disaster

As credited above, an earthquake disaster causes the tumbling of buildings and various infrastructures such as bridges. Therefore, injuries in an earthquake catastrophe significantly emanate from the collapsing buildings and structures. People trapped in such situations can easily be hit by chunks of falling walls and heavy objects as they drop due to the violent shaking (Renfrow, 2019). In addition, the injuries would ensue from being pierced or cut by sharp metal and flying glass. The subsequent effects would range from internal bleeding to bone fractures to extreme blood loss (Renfrow, 2019). In cases where people are trapped in submerged debris, one might suffer from unconsciousness because of the deprivation of oxygen (Renfrow, 2019). Furthermore, an individual is also susceptible to a shock because of the whole traumatizing experience.

The Necessary Medical Equipment and Supplies in an Earthquake Disaster

The ripple effects of the injuries that would be sustained in such a crisis are internal bleeding, bone fractures, and blood loss. The hospital herein needs to have sophisticated imagery devices that can detect internal bleeding and bone fractures (Renfrow, 2019). Internal bleeding and bone fractures can be deadly, especially if they occur within the brain and the skull. The hospital also needs to have a reliable blood bank that can serve hundreds of people. Furthermore, the blood bank needs to have a sufficient amount of blood for the blood groups that are rare (Renfrow, 2019). Medicines such as painkillers and antibacterial need to be available for the treatment of deep and open wounds (Renfrow, 2019). In terms of supplies, the hospital needs to have a reliable supply of clean water and healthy food.

The Roles of Healthcare Professionals in an Earthquake Disaster

The first role of healthcare professionals in triage and interventions during an earthquake disaster is to perform a patient assessment. Healthcare professionals need to assess cases of bone fractures, internal bleeding, and blood loss to facilitate rapid and effective treatment (Ebrahimi et al., 2016). Secondly, triage and healthcare professionals have a role in sorting the patients and families when necessary (Ebrahimi et al., 2016). This is key in being able to attend to both the severely injured and the less injured effectively and inform the related family members about their status. The last role of healthcare personnel in triage and intervention is to reassess the waiting patients (Ebrahimi et al., 2016). Patients might suffer from secondary complications while waiting hence the need for reassessment.

How Medical Personnel Can Work Together to Provide Care

In an emergency, especially one in which there are many casualties and patients, confusion and the feeling of being overwhelmed are imminent. Therefore, for medical personnel to be able to go through this, efficient and effective communication is paramount (Ebrahimi et al., 2016). Information between the reception, triage professionals, and surgeons needs to be transparent and precise. This is important in avoiding misdiagnosis of patients and wastage of time before offering treatment. Lastly, the medical personnel can work together by embracing teamwork (Ebrahimi et al., 2016). When a member of the medical care feels overwhelmed by responsibilities, they might not perform as expected. Team members would therefore need to work together and make sure none of the personnel is overwhelmed by duties.

References

Ebrahimi, M., Mirhaghi, A., Mazlom, R., Heydari, A., Nassehi, A., & Jafari, M. (2016). Scientifica, 2016, 1-6. Web.

Renfrow, J. (2019). Fierce Healthcare. Web.

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