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Show Home Health Nurses’ Emergency Response BACKGROUND Chad Chambers, BSN, RN, MSN Student Amber Fowler, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN Katie Haskel, MSN, RN INTERVENTIONS Rural home health patients face an increased risk during disasters 1. Assess organizational readiness due to limited access to care and a lack of preparedness planning1,2. 2. Identify EBP champions and leadership support Many patients have complex medical needs with reduced ability to 3. Conduct nurse education on disaster preparedness evacuate or access emergency care2. Evidence shows that nurse-led 4. Implement patient emergency preparedness toolkit education and toolkits improve readiness2,3. 5. Provide patient and caregiver education during visits 6. Evaluate outcomes using pre/post surveys • Rural patients face barriers to emergency care access1 • Home health agencies lack standardized disaster planning4 • Disasters can interrupt access to medication and electricity3 IMPACTS • Improving preparedness supports patient resilience METHODS • Framework: ARCC (Advancing Research and Clinical Practice Through Close Collaboration) Model5 • Design: Evidence-based quality improvement project • Setting: Rural home health agencies • Evaluation Method: Pre- and post-surveys Deliverables • Emergency preparedness toolkit • Staff education lesson plan • Pre- and post-survey • Patient education flyer • Increased nurse knowledge and confidence • Improved patient preparedness and self-sufficiency • Enhance disaster resilience in rural communities • Reduced strain on hospitals during emergencies • Strengthened nursing role in community disaster response CONCLUSIONS • Standardized education and toolkits improve emergency REFERENCES 1Franzosa, E., Wyte-Lake, T., Tsui, E. K., Reckrey, J. M., & Sterling, M. R. (2022). Essential but excluded: Building disaster preparedness capacity for home health care workers and home care agencies. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 23(12), 1990–1996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2022.09.012 2Lessinnes, S., Köhler, M., & Ewers, M. (2023). Evidence of disaster planning by home care providers: An integrative literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(9), 5658. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20095658 3Al Thobaity, A. (2024). Overcoming challenges in nursing disaster preparedness and response: An umbrella review. BMC Nursing, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-02226-y 4Feng, J., et al. (2025). Influencing factors of nurses' disaster preparedness: A meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 25(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23981-w 5Dusin, J., Melanson, A., & Mische-Lawson, L. (2023). Evidence-based practice models and frameworks in the healthcare setting: A scoping review. BMJ Open, 13(5), e071188. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-071188 preparedness • Home health nurses play a vital role in disaster response • This project supports improved patient outcomes and system resilience • Strengthens nurses’ role as educators and leaders in community emergency preparedness |
