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When and Why Health Care Personnel Respond to a Disaster: The State of the Science

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2014

Susan B. Connor
Susan B. Connor*
Affiliation:
1919 Minnesota Ave #3, Duluth, MN 55802USA
*
Correspondence: Susan B. Connor, PhD, MSN, RN 1919 Minnesota Ave #3 Duluth, MN 55802 USA E-mail [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective

Emergency response relies on the assumption that essential health care services will continue to operate and be available to provide quality patient care during and after a patient surge. The observed successes and failures of health care systems during recent mass-casualty events and the concern that these assumptions are not evidence based prompted this review.

Method

The aims of this systematic review were to explore the factors associated with the intention of health care personnel (HCP) to respond to uncommon events, such as a natural disaster or pandemic, determine the state of the science, and bolster evidence-based measures that have been shown to facilitate staff response.

Results

Authors of the 70 studies (five mixed-methods, 49 quantitative, 16 qualitative) that met inclusion criteria reported a variety of variables that influenced the intent of HCP to respond. Current evidence suggests that four primary factors emerged as either facilitating or hindering the willingness of HCP to respond to an event: (1) the nature of the event; (2) competing obligations; (3) the work environment and climate; and (4) the relationship between knowledge and perceptions of efficacy.

Conclusions

Findings of this study could influence and strengthen policy making by emergency response planners, staffing coordinators, health educators, and health system administrators.

ConnorSB. When and Why Health Care Personnel Respond to a Disaster: The State of the Science. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(3):1-5.

Keywords

disaster responsehealth care personnelpandemicpatient surgewillingness/intention
Type
Comprehensive Review
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , June 2014 , pp. 270 - 274
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2014 

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