Targeting prenatal emergency preparedness through childbirth education.

The lack of emergency preparedness planning remains problematic for families, but there is a special concern for prenatal women and families. This article proposes childbirth education as one avenue through which nurses can engage families to prepare for a disaster. Template guides and references are included for community-specific emergency preparedness education for childbearing families.

Experiences of nurse leaders surviving Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

Hurricane Katrina left New Orleans, Louisiana, USA destroyed by its impact on 29 August 2005. Working during a hurricane was nothing new to these authors. Having lived in New Orleans all our lives, we were used to preparing our homes and our families to weather the storm.

Improvements in disaster planning and directions for nursing management.

Since Hurricane Katrina, there have been numerous lessons learned and improvements in disaster planning and nursing management. The subsequent Hurricane Gustav allowed nurses and disaster planners to "test the system" and identify improvements that worked and did not. The authors outline those improvements and give direction for change and further improvements.

Evacuation of a maternal-newborn area during Hurricane Katrina.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall and inflicted devastation across the Gulf Coast. The catastrophic hurricane and flooding from failed levees in New Orleans made this event the most destructive natural and man-made disaster to occur in the United States' history (White House, 2006). Such a massive disaster challenged survival for everyone in its path, including patients and healthcare professionals.

Neonatal nursing care issues following a natural disaster: lessons learned from the Katrina experience.

The massive evacuation of sick and at-risk infants from a large metropolitan area following a natural disaster provides many lessons for neonatal nurses. Planning and education are of utmost importance, and disaster education and training are essential for all nurses. Unit-specific disaster plans can serve as a guide for nurses but the real test occurs during and after the event.