Nurses Protect with Homeland Security

By KiAnne Hill

Raritan Valley Community College received a three-year, $45,000 grant to initiate strategies for homeland security and emergency preparedness following the disaster of September 11.

The grant was given through the Community College National Center for Community Engagement, and the money was granted by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The grant will bring together students, faculty, other community members and scholars to collaborate, through Service Learning, on ideas to deal with the threat of terror. Students enrolled in Service Learning will perform community service as part of their class work and receive academic credit for their efforts.

The Service Learning activities are centered on homeland security and emergency preparedness involving both Raritan Valley Community College and the local community. Workshops will be conducted on the lessons learned from September 11 for the campus and community. Faculty will develop workshops that teach and encourage the development of homeland security within all academic areas.

One academic area that teamed up with the Service Learning program was the Nursing Department. In the Trends of Nursing class, led by Jan Butler and Rosalia Hamilton, the students had to address a community need revolving around homeland security related to healthcare. The class of 60 students broke up into groups, went into the community, addressed a problem and found solutions.

One group researched the American Red Cross in Hunterdon County. Six students: Eileen Collins, Jessica Graner, Dawn Kousoulis, Kathleen Novack, Kelly Singer and this author, worked with the American Red Cross to address a need of the organization. The group collaborated with David Dunay, branch manager from the American Red Cross in Hunterdon, to make a slide show for the public about Preparedness for Emergent Health Issues with Bio-Terrorism.

The American Red Cross indicated they needed volunteers to teach community members on coping with different types of terrorist attacks and their aftermath (i.e., biological, explosive, firearms). The group’s goal was to educate audiences on what people should do in the event of an attack on their community. Dunay plans to keep the group’s research and slide show for later use to educate the public. The slide show that was made by the students will be kept and used by the American Red Cross for years to come.

“Nursing is the heart and soul of American Red Cross since Clara Barton,” said Dunay. “All benefit from the humanitarian spirit and the natural caring for people that nurses do. The American Red Cross is … primarily delegated to relieve suffering at man-made and natural disasters. The student nurses at RVCC designed a presentation to teach people how to prepare for and respond to disasters. The student nurses taught people to have confidence in their training and use good judgment to learn the impact of a disaster in their community.”

The slide show was about Bioterrorism, and addressed: Anthrax, Smallpox, Botulism, and Hemorrhagic Fever. The group focused on common questions with answers that the community would need to know if a bio-terrorist attack occurred such as: What should I do if I think I am exposed to one of the biological agents? Should I keep a supply of antibiotics? What are the threats to the water supply? What is happening in New Jersey to prepare for a bio-terrorist attack? What should I do to create family disaster plan? What do I need to build a kit? Most of all, the group addressed the fact that The American Red Cross is trying to get people to be interested to volunteer. The group also had two guest speakers from the American Red Cross come to the class and address the issue about bioterrorism and the need for volunteers.

For more information and the slide show that addresses preparedness for emergent health issues about Bio - Terrorism for the public you can visit the service learning home page at www.raritanval.edu/servicelearning.