Basic Emergency Preparedness for Staff of Community Health Centers

Community-based clinicians (physicians, nurses, advanced practice nurses, physician assistants and others) have been identified as essential to a community's emergency preparedness, referred to as needed components of preparedness planning and training in Joint Commission hospital standards and in Center for Disease Control & Prevention and HRSA grants. All staff members in community-based healthcare facilities should be able to identify and respond appropriately to potential clinical signs of an emergency situation and to communicate with patients and partners in a way that supports an effective response system. You should also understand the importance of understanding your facility's emergency operations plan and where you fit into this plan. This course provides information about basic emergency preparedness including the main components of a family disaster plan, the basic components of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS), and the roles your healthcare facility might play in a community-wide emergency.