Emergency Managment Response Planning to a Portable Nuclear Device in a Major Hospital - Annotated Bibliography Example

Annotated Bibliography Arnold, J. L., Dembry, L., Tsai, Dainiak, N., Roduplo, U., Schonfeld, D. J.,...& Selig, S. (2005). Recommended modification and applications of the Hospital Emergency Incident Command System for hospital emergency management. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 20 (5), 290-300. Due to the changing trends of time, experts believe that it is also imperative for hospitals to modify emergency incident command systems for better management during emergency situations like nuclear attack, among many others. However, evaluation of and re-modifications of existing policies on how to respond to emergencies affecting the health of the population must be welcomed and should be considered as a continuous process; specifically, these changes could cover organizational hierarchy, communication, formulation of checklists of responsibilities and routine duties of every member, and even standardized terminologies. Benjamin, G. C. (2010, Summer). Medical preparedness and response to nuclear terrorism. The Bridge, 40 (2), 39-44. An article that tackles the possible negative health effects that the detonation of portable nuclear devices will cause to the people both near and far from the area of explosion. The physical, psychological, emotional damages that these people would suffer and witness impose a serious burden to the health care providers who will response to the dilemma, especially immediately after the occurrence. The author suggested to include specialized trainings to health care providers and an efficient management system that considers specific areas of concern (e.g., time of response, etc.) regarding nuclear emergency in the response planning of hospitals, health care institutions, and the likes, to lessen the destructive effects of nuclear incidences. Brennan, R. J., Waeckerle, J. G., Sharp, T. W., & Lillibridge, S. R. (1999, August). Chemical warfare agents: emergency medical and emergency public health issues. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 34 (2), 191-204. The research pointed out the unpreparedness of most health care institutions due to the lack of appropriate education, trainings and equipments of their health care providers on nuclear disaster response. Specific principles in the provision of these emergency situations and the associated necessary medical treatments were also discussed. Catlett, C. L. (2008). Enhancing hospital emergency preparedness. In R. B. McFee, & J. B. Leikin (Eds.), Toxico-terrorism: emergency response and clinical approach to chemical, biological, and radiological agents. USA: McGraw-Hill Companies. Catlett addressed in her article that there are several specific areas that must be considered during the planning of emergency responses such as that of nuclear-related incidences. Dependability of communications, development of competent databases and action items (e.g., list of possible resources, codes, "E" or emergency kits, etc.), and the individual efficiency of the health care staff are found to be of essential value as the hospitals provide health care interventions during emergency situations. Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, Radiation Studies Branch. (2007, August). Population monitoring in radiation emergencies: a guide for state and local public health planners. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health. In case of nuclear detonations in which most countries have no past experiences, health care providers must have the specific skill for immediate triaging of nuclear-related and other health conditions to provide medical response to those who are in most need since “the first priority is to save lives.” Nevertheless, steps on prevention of the secondary effects of nuclear explosion, especially those that are related to radiation, are also an important part of planning. Maiello, M. L., & Groves, K. L. (2006, September). Resources for nuclear and radiation disaster response. Nuclear News, 29-34. Among all the other efforts that the different agencies of the government can initiate during "a devastating or potentially devastating Incident of National Significance," Maiello and Groves identified the "two basic needs for a successful medical response" in emergency situations like chemical or biological attacks such as nuclear explosions. These are: "(1) sufficient and adequate radiation detection equipment for first responders and medical staff, and (2) expertise in the treatment of radiation-related casualties, including those with internal radionuclide contamination." Manthous, C. A., Jackson, W. L. Jr. The 9-11 Commissions invitation to imagine: a pathophysiology-based approach to critical care of nuclear explosion victims. Critical Care Medicine, 35 (3), 716-723. Manthous and Jackson agrees that an effective plan for a general emergency response, such as specific "approaches to on-site triage and medical evacuation," identification of "resources requirements, and bedside therapeutic plans" by a major hospital and its health care providers to a nuclear explosion, is possible by reviewing and evaluation of past nuclear incidences and relative occurrences through available related literature. Miniter, R. (2005, October 31). "Baggage claim: the myth of suitcase nukes." Wall Street Journal. In Miniters article in The Wall Street Journal, the existence of suitcase nukes was absolutely denied. Lebed, the one who started the controversy of the possibility of a portable nuclear device, was claimed to have only based his claims on hearsays. According to a U.S. official who was said to have seen it, these "suitcase"-sized nukes were actually "the size of three footlockers.” Smigielski, D. (2003, September). A review of the suitcase nuclear bomb controversy. Policy Update, 1-12. Smigielski reviewed the literature to support or refute the claims of the existence of suitcase nukes or the "man-portable nuclear devices" that still causes destruction, although minimal than the usual nuclear blast effects. According to several accounts, the alleged nukes lost by the Russian government to the enemies of the people (terrorists) can be carried by anyone to any places unnoticed which make it dangerous. However, Smigielski specified that there is not enough evidence that can reinforce "any solid conclusions" regarding the nuke controversy despite prior claims of the impossibility of producing such small nuclear devices. Smiley, D. R., Loboda, A., Starling, C. (2004). Transformations from planning to operations: emergency medical services in disaster response. Annals of Disaster Medicine, 3 (1), 11-26. Smiley and colleagues see that the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons to as a warfare strategy "poses new policy and management challenges for governmental agencies that have the responsibility to respond to these threats" that can be difficult to identify due to the existence of norms in the practice of several professions, including healthcare-related ones. However, several agencies have been founded all throughout the United States, such as the State of California Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA), to lead in "developing and implementing EMS systems" that are acknowledged as competent in functioning as one. Tucker, J. B. (1997). National health and medical services response to incidents of chemical and biological terrorism. Journal of the American Medical Association, 278, 362-368. The article reports of the tendency of terrorists to use nuclear weapons to cause mass destruction that could occur anytime. With this, Tucker emphasized the importance of the coordination of the government agencies to provide the basic health and medical services, among others, in case of such attacks. The Department of Health and Human Services are made responsible to include local and state-level planning of services through hospitals and other caregiving institutions so that "the provision of health, medical, and health-related social services... the delivery of medical equipment and supplies, health surveillance in the affected area, and managing the health consequences of environmental contamination” will be dealt with. Read More