Skip to main content

Career Tips & Advice

Nursing During a Hurricane

Concorde Staff

Concorde Staff

Share:
Updated November 3, 2016. The information contained in this blog is current and accurate as of this date.
nursing

A career in Nursing can be hectic and stressful, even in the best of times. But for nurses in the areas of four Concorde campuses, especially this time of year, the work can be even more nerve-wracking.

Though it's near the end, it's been hurricane season in the southern regions of the U.S., particularly in Florida, where Concorde has campuses in Jacksonville, Orlando, Miramar, and Tampa. Just last month, Hurricane Matthew slammed most of the state, flooding homes and businesses, uprooting trees and cutting power to millions. Tragically, there also were more than 1,000 deaths attributed to the storm, most occurring in Haiti, which took a brunt of the destruction.

With countless lives hanging in the balance, health care workers, including those in Nursing, leapt into action. In actuality, the work for nurses begins days before the hurricane even strikes.

 

Formulating a plan, then following it

 

Linda Ketchum, MSN, RN, Director of Nursing at Concorde Career Institute - Tampa, worked as a nurse in obstetrics for 40 years, and much of her experience was in leadership roles. That gave her a lot of responsibility for the units she was on during any disaster or emergency.

"My hurricane plan usually started a few days before the hurricane actually hit," she said. "My staff was split into two teams. As the hurricane approached, the entire team worked, and we discharged everyone possible from the floor."

Ketchum said patient education was of the utmost importance during times of crisis.

"We especially focused on things like storage of pumped breast milk in the case of a power outage and stressed keeping a good supply of water stored in case of water contamination," she said.

Eventually, Ketchum said, nurses were split into two teams - A and B. Team A, which consisted of older nurses without small children, stayed at the hospital. Team B went home to their families.

"We brought in our own food as well as two gallons of water a piece in case we needed it," she said. "Another favorite tradition was for someone to pick up what we called the 'hurricane cake.' We ordered it ahead - marble cake with raspberry filling and buttercream icing."

The nurses took an empty room and traded shifts sleeping and working until the storm passed. Then, Team B took over.

"Nurses and doctors had damage to their homes, too, and we had to schedule according to what people needed to handle on their own personal level," Ketchum said.

 

A hectic, stressful time in Nursing

 

Ketchum said, one year, there were no fewer than four hurricanes predicted to hit the Tampa area.

"I worked at the hospital for all four of those storms," she said. "As we were situated on the top floor, there was a lot of roof and window leakage, and it all had to be managed. Patients had to be moved to other rooms that were dry. And, as the hallways and elevators also had leaks, we had to stay where we were. No one could enter our unit or leave."

Luckily, she said, most patients were mother-baby, were healthy and had little need for any help outside the unit.

"All in all, I enjoyed those times," Ketchum said. "It was interesting, and the teamwork was phenomenal."

Next Steps?

We have a Concorde representative ready to talk about what matters most to you. Get answers about start dates, curriculum, financial aid, scholarships and more!

  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.