For this review, an emergency plan will be seen through the lens of a school nurse. The Chicago Public School Emergency plan was chosen for review. The plan was located through a straightforward Google search, which led to a PDF repository containing a copy of the plan. The work will discuss the primary responsibilities and issues concerning practicing school nurses and evaluate how the emergency plan addresses them. According to the materials created by the School Nurse Association, a school nurse’s responsibilities in times of crisis are diverse (National Association of School Nurses (NASN), n.d.). The Chicago Public School plan works per this information, defining the role of a school nurse as a provider, organizer, and supervisor of first aid procedures (“Chicago public school emergency plan,” 2015). In my view, it is necessary that nurses act as first aid coordinators and continually assess, plan and respond to changing situations, and majorly provide mental health support.
The Chicago plan does not address or identify potential danger scenarios nor pay specific attention to primary sources of danger for a school facility. However, detailed plans of buildings and evacuation plans are provided. In addition, considerations for disabled staff and students are made, including emergency locations and a designated leader to support their evacuation. While nurses were not included in supporting the disabled school residents, their work is invaluable in supporting this group of people. According to Bastable (2021), nurse professionals have an ever-changing responsibility to help disabled individuals. In case of specific emergencies, no varied guidelines to what nurses should do are provided, barring the previously stated provision of mental and physical aid to others.
These behaviors align with the professional capabilities of nurses and their role in the process. According to Selekman’s chapter on the “Frameworks and Models of School Nursing Practice,” school nurses must fulfill the combined role of a public health professional, care coordinator, leader, and quality improvement manager (Selekman et al., 2019). These notions are reflected in their role of supporting others during a crisis, where they are directly presented with the need to support a large population of people at once (Selekman et al., 2019). To properly assess how emergencies should be handled, emergency guidelines often differ depending on the severity and scope of an event. As discussed by Selekman (2019), most organizations use a multi-level threat system, which includes localized issues, events with little impact, occurrences that have the potential to affect the outside community, and full-force emergency cases. Individuals’ mental and physical health can suffer even when the scope of emergency is minor, requiring constant attention from nurses. Therefore, I will focus on providing the necessary first aid, counseling, and emotional support to those affected.
In an active shooter case, however, procedures deviate from average, though they conform to the recommended steps in the school emergency operations plan. As medical professionals must first ensure their wellbeing, they are encouraged to prioritize themselves instead of focusing on others. The run, hide, fight principle applies to nurses and all other faculty members and staff (“Active shooter on campus!,” n.d.). A nurse should not run toward gunshots, even if they want to help, because their life becomes the priority (“Active shooter on campus!,” n.d.). To develop plans for handling emergencies of all kinds, it is necessary to review existing evidence, anticipate the most widespread and vital types of hazards, and define the role of the school staff in addressing them. In this process, possible achievement standards are set and defined in the required order, allowing the school staff to address emergent issues promptly. This is similar to how nurses work, as reviewing evidence and planning play the most crucial role. Nurses must constantly engage with new research, contribute to the expanding body of evidence and apply the newest safe practices in their care.
References
Active shooter on campus! (n.d.). CEConnection for Nursing. Web.
Bastable, S. (2021). Nurse as educator: Principles of teaching and learning for nursing practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Chicago public school emergency plan. (2015). kipdf.com. Web.
National Association of School Nurses (NASN). (n.d.). Emergency preparedness and response in the school setting – The role of the school nurse. ERIC – Education Resources Information Center. Web.
Selekman, J., Shannon, R. A., & Yonkaitis, C. F. (2019). School nursing: A comprehensive text. F.A. Davis.