Doctoral thesis

Australian civilian hospital nurses’ lived experience of an out-of-hospital environment following a disaster

Mass Gathering Health / Mass Gathering Medicine

Various publications and presentations relating to Mass Gathering and Major Event health

Disaster Health

Various publications and presentations relating to disaster health

28 May, 2014

Enhancing the minimum data set for mass-gathering research and evaluation: An integrative literature review


Free full-text article is available here (PDF)

ABSTRACT:
Introduction: In 2012, a minimum data set (MDS) was proposed to enable the standardized collection of biomedical data across various mass gatherings. However, the existing 2012 MDS could be enhanced to allow for its uptake and usability in the international context. The 2012 MDS is arguably Australian-centric and not substantially informed by the literature. As such, an MDS with contributions from the literature and application in the international settings is required.

Methods: This research used an integrative literature review design. Manuscripts were collected using keyword searches from databases and journal content pages from 2003 through 2013. Data were analyzed and categorized using the existing 2012 MDS as a framework.

Results: In total, 19 manuscripts were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Variation in the patient presentation types was described in the literature from the mass-gathering papers reviewed. Patient presentation types identified in the literature review were compared to the 2012 MDS. As a result, 16 high-level patient presentation types were identified that were not included in the 2012 MDS.

Conclusion: Adding patient presentation types to the 2012 MDS ensures that the collection of biomedical data for mass-gathering health research and evaluation remains contemporary and comprehensive. This review proposes the addition of 16 high-level patient presentation categories to the 2012 MDS in the following broad areas: gastrointestinal, obstetrics and gynecology, minor illness, mental health, and patient outcomes. Additionally, a section for self-treatment has been added, which was previously not included in the 2012 MDS, but was widely reported in the literature.


Ranse J, Hutton A, Turris S, Lund A. (2014). Enhancing the minimum data set for mass gathering research and evaluation: An integrative literature review. Prehospital Disaster Medicine. 29(3):1-10.


13 May, 2014

What was the role of nurses during the 2011 Great East Earthquake of Japan? An integrative review of the Japanese literature


Free full-text article is available here (PDF)

ABSTRACT

Background: An earthquake and tsunami hit the east coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. Nurses were actively involved in the health response to this disaster and, subsequently, many authors have reported on the role nurses played in these efforts in Japanese nursing professional journals.

Aim: To describe the role of nurses who assisted in the 2011 Great East Earthquake of Japan by reviewing Japanese literature and reporting the findings in English.

Method: This research used an integrative literature review methodology. Manuscripts were obtained from the Japanese database Ichushi Ver. 5 (Japan Medical Abstracts Society, Tokyo, Japan). A total of 44 manuscripts were identified and included in a thematic analysis.

Results: Three main themes were identified: (1) nursing roles, (2) specialized nursing roles, and (3) preparedness education. Nurses fulfilled different roles in the period after the disaster (ie, as a clinician, a communicator, a leader, and a provider of psychosocial support). Additionally, the specialized nurse role was identified, along with the need for preparedness education to support the nurse’s role in a disaster.

Conclusion: The understanding of the role of nurses in disasters is expanding. There is a need to further explore the roles of specialized nurses in disasters. Further disaster education opportunities should be available as a part of continuing education for all nurses. Radiation aspects of disaster assistance should be included in disaster education programs where there are radio-nuclear hazards present in the environment

Kako M, Ranse J, Yamamoto A, Arbon P. (2014). What was the role of nurses during the 2011 Great East Earthquake of Japan? An integrative review of the Japanese literature. Prehospital Disaster Medicine. 29(3):1-5.

09 May, 2014

Operational aspects of health care delivery at World Youth Day 2008: Lessons learnt by an emergency management organisation


Free full-text article is available from the Australasian Journal of Paramedicine


SUMMARY

Hundreds of thousands of people attended World Youth Day 2008 [WYD08] in Sydney. Pilgrims from over 170 nations attended the week-long event (15-20th July) culminating in one of the largest mass gatherings in Australia. St John Ambulance Australia was the primary health care agency chosen for the provision of health services to WYD08 participants and officials. WYD08 posed a number of challenges during the planning and deployment stages of operational activities; due to the extremely large number of participants and varying location of WYD08 events. This article provides an overview of WYD08, the involvement of an emergency management organisation with a focus on their experiences and lessons learnt. These experiences and lessons are useful for any health care agency or emergency management organisation, tasked with planning similar large-scale mass gathering events.


Moutia D, Ranse J, Banu-Lawrence H. Operational aspects of health delivery at World Youth Day 2008: Lesions learnt by an emergency management organisation. Australasian Journal of Paramedicine. 2014;11(3):[accepted]



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