Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T10:17:34.867Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

What Was the Role of Nurses During the 2011 Great East Earthquake of Japan? An Integrative Review of the Japanese Literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2014

Mayumi Kako*
Affiliation:
Disaster Research Center, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia
Jamie Ranse
Affiliation:
Disaster Research Center, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Aiko Yamamoto
Affiliation:
University of Hyogo, Hyogo, Japan; Research Institute of Nursing Care for People & Community, Hyogo, Japan; WHO Collaborating Center for Nursing in Disaster and Health Emergency Management, Hyogo, Japan
Paul Arbon
Affiliation:
Disaster Research Center, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia
*
Correspondence: Mayumi Kako, RN, PhD, MACN Flinders University School of Nursing and Midwifery GPO Box 2100 Adelaide Adelaide, South Australia 5001 E-mail [email protected]

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.

KakoM , RanseJ , YamamotoA , ArbonP . What Was the Role of Nurses During the 2011 Great East Earthquake of Japan? An Integrative Review of the Japanese Literature. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(3):1-5.

Type
Comprehensive Review
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Geospatial Information Authority in Japan. The fifth report of the area of tsunami affected area (estimated count). 2011. http://www.gsi.go.jp/ENGLISH/page_e30066.html. Accessed October 3, 2012.Google Scholar
2. National Police Agency of Japan:Emergency Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters. Damage Situation and Police Countermeasures associated with 2011Tohoku district -off the Pacific Ocean Earthquake. 2012. http://www.npa.go.jp/archive/keibi/biki/higaijokyo_e.pdf. Accessed October 3, 2012.Google Scholar
3. Japan Nursing Association (JNA). Disaster Volunteer Relief Nurse Activities [in Japanese]. 2013. http://www.nurse.or.jp/home/saigai/katudo.html. Accessed April 8, 2013.Google Scholar
4. Ranse, J, Lenson, S. Beyond a clinical role: nurses were psychosocial supporters, coordinators and problem solvers in the Black Saturday and Victorian bushfires in 2009. Australas Emerg Nurs J. 2012;15:156-163.Google Scholar
5. Ranse, J, Lenson, S, Aimers, B. Black Saturday and the Victorian Bushfires of February 2009: a descriptive survey of nurses who assisted in the pre-hospital setting. Collegian. 2010;17(4):153-159.Google Scholar
6. Yin, H, He, H, Arbon, P, Zhu, J. A survey of the practice of nurses’ skills in Wenchuan earthquake disaster sites: implications for disaster training. J Adv Nurs. 2011;67(10):2231-2238.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Torraco, R. Writing integrative literature reviews: guidelines and examples. Human Resource Development Review. 2005;4(3):356-367.Google Scholar
8. Russell, CL. An overview of the integrative research review. Progress in Transplantation. 2005;15(1):8-13.Google Scholar
9. Ranse, J, Arbon, P. Graduate nurses’ lived experience of in-hospital resuscitation: a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Aust Crit Care. 2008;21(1):38-47.Google Scholar
10. Onodera, H, Kodama, T. St Marianna Medical University relief team activity after Great East earthquake. St. Marianna Medical University Journal. 2012;1:7-14.Google Scholar
11. Imai, Kea. The role of nurse at CMS situation [in Japanese]. Japan Emergency Nursing Society. 2011;13(3):223.Google Scholar
12. Uchino, Y, Ishii, Y, Kusaka, Y. To be responsible as an emergency nurse at outpatient department at the disaster area support hospital: learning from 3.11 disaster [in Japanese]. Japan Mass Gathering Medicine Society. 2011;16(3):512.Google Scholar
13. Kumada, H. Learning from my first experience of DMAT: part 2 activities after 3.11 disater [in Japanese]. Japan Disaster Nursing Journal. 2012;14(1):205.Google Scholar
14. Koike, et al. Nurses role at Iwate Prefecture helicopter transit coordination head office [in Japanese]. Japan Aero Medicine Society Journal. 2011;12(2):153.Google Scholar
15. Kikuchi, M. The role of nurse manager in a disaster: leaning from 3.11 disaster relief activities [in Japanese]. National Local Government Hospital NetworkJournal. 2012;51(4):622-624.Google Scholar
16. Itabashi, Mea. Supporting life of the affected nurses and disaster practice and future objectives: response when the disaster struck [in Japanese]. Japan Mass Gathering Medicine Journal. 2011;16(3):360.Google Scholar
17. Saito, A. The nurse role at evacuation centers: interaction between affected older people [in Japanese]. Japan Disaster Nursing Society Journal. 2011;13(1):207.Google Scholar
18. Toyota, T. The role of red cross mental helath care nurse: establishing the affected people support network [in Japanese]. Japan Disaster Nursing Journal. 2011;13(1):109.Google Scholar
19. Takara, Y., et al. The objectives from experience of the Great East earthquake: disaster reduction at a neonatal ward [in Japanese]. Kawasaki City Hospital In-Service Nursing Research Journal. 2012;66:15-21.Google Scholar
20. Higashi, T. Sugestions for disaster activities: mental health for deployed staff and nursing manager of the tdeployed team [in Japanese]. Nuring Management. 2012;22(3):178-181.Google Scholar
21. Umezaki, S. Supporting the affected people and nurses’ life and future objectives: the role of nurses at mental health care team at the Great East earthquake [in Japanese]. Japan Mass Gathering Medicine Journal. 2011;16(3):362.Google Scholar
22. Hayashi, Y. The role of infection control certified nurse: leaning from 3,11 disaster [in Japanese]. Japan Environmnet Infection Society Journal. 2012;27(Suppl.):172.Google Scholar
23. Abe, S, Misumi, M, Yamamoto, H, Koegawa, Y. The effectiveness of action card on a disaster at an operation theatre and objectives of disaster medicine at our hospital [in Japanese]. Clinical Anathetic. 2012;36(3):521-524.Google Scholar
24. Shiromukai, T. Disaster relief by a certified nurse: preparation for chemotherapy nursing - the role of chemotherapy nurse [in Japanese]. Japan Cancer Nursing Society Journal. 2012;26(Suppl.):361.Google Scholar
25. Public Health Nurse M, Registered Nurse Registration (Hokenshi Jyosanshi Kangoshi ho) [in Japanese]. 2006.Google Scholar
26. Kato, Y, Kakegawa, A. Prevention from epidemic of Noro Virus at the large size evacuation center: experience from Fukushima Prefecture Team relief activities [in Japanese]. Public Health Nurse Journal. 2012;67(11):992-998.Google Scholar
27. Murakami, A, Inaniwa, Y. Learning from Great East Earthquake: disaster risk reducation survey at renal dialysis clinics in Sitama Prefecture - what can nurses do [in Japanese]? Japan Renal Dialysis Medicine Journal. 2012;45(Suppl. 1):740.Google Scholar
28. Tsutsumi, Y. The role of nurse and future objectives in emergency radiation exposure: Fukushima prefecture deployment [in Japanese]. Japan Disaster Nursing Society Journal. 2011;13(1):206.Google Scholar
29. Kai, T. Nurses role expectation in nuclear disaster: experience of consultation with community members and nurses about nuclear exposure. Science of Health. 2011;53(12):815-819.Google Scholar
30. Irisawa, A. The 2011 Great East Japan earthquake: a report of a regional hospital in Fukushima Prefecture coping with the Fukushima nuclear disaster [in Japanese]. Dig Endosc. 2012;24(Suppl. 1):3-7.Google Scholar
31. Gebbie, K, Hutton, A, Plummer, V. Disaster and humanitarian competencies and education, Chapter 8: where are we now and where do we need to be? Annu Rev NursRes. 2012;30:169-192.Google Scholar
32. Ranse, J, Lenson, S. Beyond a clinical role: nurses were psychosocial supporters, coordinators and problem solvers in the Black Saturday and Victorian bushfires in 2009. Australas Emerg Nurs J. 2012;15:156-163.Google Scholar
33. International Council of Nurses. ICN Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies. 2009. http://www.icn.ch/images/stories/documents/networks/DisasterPreparednessNetwork/Disaster_Nursing_Competencies_lite.pdf. Accessed April 4, 2013.Google Scholar
34. Hayes, B. Renal dialysis service and patient evacuation during the Queensland Cyclone Yasi disaster. Renal Society of Australasia Journal. 2011;7(2):72-75.Google Scholar
35. Yamanouchi, K. Participating as a Nurse Practitioner in the disaster deployment medical team [in Japanese]. Japan Surgical Society Journal. 2011;112(4):283-287.Google Scholar
36. Martin, R. Black Saturday and the Victorian bushfires: implications for advanced nursing practice roles. Australas Emerg Nurs J. 2009;12(2):30-31.Google Scholar
37. Hata, S. Nursing report from the affected area: what could we do and could not; what happened at the 16th floor of the mix ward [in Japanese]. Nurse Manager. 2011;13(5):45-50.Google Scholar
38. Kanbara, S. Disaster impacts and response [in Japanese]. Human Security Session Program. Nagoya: Aichi University 2012.Google Scholar
39. Arbon, P, Ranse, J, Cusack, L, et al. Australasian emergency nurses’ willingness to attend work in a disaster: a survey. Australas Emerg Nurs J. 2013;16(2):52-57.Google Scholar