Japan Seciety of Disaster Nursing

In order to conduct initial assessments on nursing needs in times of disaster, the Society established a disaster nursing network to link together local groups nationwide. Our objective was to accumulate knowledge on disaster nursing and thereby contribute to the support of nursing activities during disasters in Japan, and to contribute to the support of international disaster nursing activities.

1) Assessment and Mobilization Activities

(1) Continuously collecting data on nursing needs during disasters.

・When a disaster occurs, the Working Office contacts the network groups closest to the disaster area and strives to understand the local care needs. If there are no network groups near the disaster area, individual members and headquarters members will continuously collect data.
・The initial subjects of assessments in general disasters (earthquakes, floods, toxic accidents, etc.) depend on the scale of the disaster, but in the case of an earthquake of seismic intensity 4 or more an initial assessment will always be conducted. After a certain amount of data has been collected and analyzed, the assessment criteria will be determined. In cases of flooding, initial assessments will be conducted when flooding of homes begins and evacuations are ordered.
・The decision to send members from the Working Office to the disaster area is made by the Working Office itself or comes as a result of the request of the local network group. However, in the case of an earthquake of seismic intensity 5 or more, members from the Working Office are sent to work with local network group members on the initial assessment.

(2) Collecting information on disasters and other related information from the internet, newspapers, and other sources.
(3) Conducting nursing needs assessments that bridge the gap between the medical organizations and groups to local individuals in order to offer them the required nursing care.
(4) As a rule holding activity briefings every two months in order to better understand network activities and to examine current problems and future challenges. In principle, these will be conducted by those who had been in charge of the initial assessments.
(5) Providing newly found information to the public when necessary.

2) Network Group Activities

(1) Network groups establish a system that can respond to the initial assessment and clarify all personnel activities.
(2) Activity personnel continuously collect data on nursing needs during the disaster.

・In coordination with the Working Office, they conduct an initial assessment that reports on the disaster situation, gathers the information needed to identify nursing needs, and reports on required support.
・Continue to gather information about nursing needs after the initial assessment.
・Provide the necessary nursing care according to the situation.

The organization of network activities is shown below in Figure 1.

1) The Disaster Nursing Network is made up of members of the Japan Society of Disaster Nursing and of local organizations that support the activities of the network.
These local organizations are called network groups, and these network groups and the network headquarters make up the Disaster Nursing Network.



2) A Working Office has been established in the Network headquarters.
3) Operational System
　　　Network group members, individual members, and headquarters members are all involved in network activities, and initial assessments and mobilizations. It is also responsible for the coordination of activities of the headquarters Working Office.