Factors Associated with Willingness to Respond to a Disaster: A Study of Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Setting

Burke, Rita V.; Goodhue, Catherine J.; Chokshi, Nikunj K.; Upperman, Jeffrey S.

doi:10.1017/s1049023x11006492

Cited by 35 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…5,8,11,12,29 Recent studies suggest that during the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, the virus was transmitted to health care workers most often through exposure resulting from inadequate PPE. [30][31][32] Concern for family safety is a widely recognized predictor of willingness to work during disasters, 11,16,25,28,[30][31][32][33] and we found it to be a powerful influence in this study. Willingness to work decreased if respondents lacked a personal family pandemic flu plan, if they weren't confident that their employer would ensure their family's safety while they cared for patients with pandemic flu, and even if vaccine and antiviral medication were provided for both nurse and family.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Predictors of Nurses’ Intentions to Work During the 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic

Martin

Brown²,

Reid³

2013

AJN, American Journal of Nursing

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To maintain an adequate nursing workforce during a flu pandemic, employers should ensure that policies and procedures include providing adequate PPE for nurses and safeguarding the health of nurses and their families. The level of perceived threat is likely to affect the proportion of nurses willing to work. Some nurses will not work during a flu pandemic no matter what protections and incentives are offered; efforts intended to force or entice all nurses to work are unlikely to succeed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Predictors of Nurses’ Intentions to Work During the 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic

Martin

Brown²,

Reid³

2013

AJN, American Journal of Nursing

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“…Physician preparation should include skills and knowledge integral to minor trauma care of children, as well as other personal preparations such as written contact lists and care plans. In a recent study of pediatric healthcare employees at a tertiary pediatric hospital, almost half the employees expressed willingness to respond in the event of a disaster [32]. Those without dependents, men, and single individuals were more willing to respond, as well as those who had a shorter commuting distance.…”

Section: Preparationmentioning

confidence: 98%

Planning for the Pediatric Patient During a Disaster

et al. 2016

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Purpose of Review Disaster and mass casualty events are unpredictable and quickly overwhelm response systems. Children are affected by disasters; however, pediatricspecific disaster preparedness is lacking. Preparedness is required at the individual, physician, and hospitals/community levels and constitutes material allocation, education, and communication. Specifically, pediatricians, pediatric subspecialists, and pediatric surgical subspecialists have important roles during a disaster, mass casualty, or pandemic response; thus, integration of both community and subspecialty physicians is important. Disaster response is not limited to planning and response; major efforts in recovery, reunification, community health safety, and follow-up are required. Recent Findings Events have highlighted the need for improved preparation and execution of mass casualty response. There is a need for training in the event of a mass casualty disaster, and pediatric professionals have indicated that they do not feel adequately prepared to care for children during such events. Incorporation of pediatric-specific simulation scenarios can help address this deficiency.Summary Thus, efforts to incorporate pediatric-specific education, disaster simulation, and preparation including a multidisciplinary approach integrating families, physicians, and hospital and community organizations are required.

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“…Instruments used in past willingness to work disaster surveys were used to develop this study's questionnaire [1][2][3][4][5][6]9,11,12,14,21,22 ; however, this specific survey was not validated before it was distributed. The 52-item instrument (see Supplementary material at www.liebertonline.com) measured healthcare workers' self-reports of: work during the week following the tornado; willingness to work following various hypothetical disaster scenarios (eg, tornado, earthquake, pandemic with a 2% defined mortality with and without an effective vaccine, and dirty bomb), both before and after the 2011 Joplin tornado; personal disaster preparedness, both before and after the 2011 Joplin tornado; perceived impact of having childcare responsibilities on willingness and ability to work; availability, use of, associated costs, and perceived concerns associated with alternative childcare; extent to which childcare responsibilities affected their ability to work regular and/or unscheduled shifts; personal responsibilities other than children at the time of the Joplin tornado (eg, elders, disabled family members, pets, farm animals); extent of home damage, ability to live in their home the week following the tornado, and what utilities they lost; and attitudes regarding hypothetical alternative childcare programs.…”

Section: Survey Questionnairementioning

confidence: 99%

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Additionally, childcare responsibilities can affect a healthcare worker's ability and willingness to respond to a disaster. 3,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16] In this article, we define resilience as the ability to return to work rapidly or the willingness to work in future disasters. Resilience is a key factor in survival, as it decreases the negative impact of a disastrous event.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Working After a Tornado: A Survey of Hospital Personnel in Joplin, Missouri

Charney¹,

Rebmann²,

Flood³

2014

Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, an

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In 2011, an EF5 tornado hit Joplin, MO, requiring complete evacuation of 1 hospital and a patient surge to another. We sought to assess the resilience of healthcare workers in these hospitals as measured by number reporting to work, willingness to work, personal disaster preparedness, and childcare responsibilities following the disaster. In May 2013, a survey was distributed to healthcare workers at both Joplin hospitals that asked them to report their willingness to work and personal disaster preparedness following various disaster scenarios. For those with childcare responsibilities, scheduling, costs, and impact of hypothetical alternative childcare programs were considered in the analyses. A total of 1,234 healthcare workers completed the survey (response rate: 23.4%). Most (87.8%) worked the week following the Joplin tornado. Healthcare workers report more willingness to work during a future earthquake or tornado compared to their pre-Joplin tornado attitudes (86.2 vs 88.4%, t=-4.3, p<.001; 88.4 vs 90%, t=-3.1, p<.01, respectively), with no change during other scenarios. They expressed significantly higher post-tornado personal disaster preparedness, but only preevent preparedness was a significant predictor of postevent preparedness. Nearly half (48.5%, n=598) had childcare responsibilities; 61% (n=366) had childcare needs the week of the tornado, and 54% (n=198) required the use of alternative childcare. If their hospital had provided alternative childcare, 51% would have used it and 42% felt they would have been more willing to report to work. Most healthcare workers reported to work following this disaster, demonstrating true resilience. Disaster planners should be aware of these perceptions as they formulate their own emergency operation plans.

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Factors Associated with Willingness to Respond to a Disaster: A Study of Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Setting

Abstract: Number of dependents and resources were major factors in willingness to respond. Healthcare facilities must clearly communicate their disaster plans as well as any provisions they may make for their employees' families in order to improve willingness among hospital employees.

Cited by 35 publications

References 22 publications

Predictors of Nurses’ Intentions to Work During the 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic

Predictors of Nurses’ Intentions to Work During the 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic

Planning for the Pediatric Patient During a Disaster

Working After a Tornado: A Survey of Hospital Personnel in Joplin, Missouri

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