Psychological Need Assessment by Nurses During Emergency and Disaster Situations

PSYCHOLOGICAL
NEED ASSESSMENT
BY NURSES DURING
EMERGENCY AND
DISASTER
SITUATIONS
-A brief research proposal
presentation

INTRODUCTION
 If a hazardous and catastrophic incident leads to massive
devastation and immense damage then it is termed as disaster.
 Disaster can be natural or man-made and it causes severe
destruction and injuries which affects the mental stability of the
survivors.
 Along with the physical treatment, survivors need mental
assistance too.
 This presentation is going to discuss the necessity of
psychological need assessment by the nurses during any
emergency or disaster situation.

HISTORY/BACKGROUND
 The complex multi-dimensional phenomenon of disaster always
exceeds the coping capacity of the affected people.
 It can be of two types, acute and slow disasters are called
predictable and the other one is sudden-onset or contingent which
is non-predictable.
 In predictable disasters, preventive measures can be taken, but in
sudden-onset disasters it is not possible. Also, it can be natural
and man-made.
 Disasters cause mass casualties and affect the emotional
wellbeing of the survivors.

WHY NECESSARY
 The change in life after the disaster is unbearable and the survivors are
found to be hopeless, helpless as well as frustrated.
 Due to extreme fear their mental stability is hampered.
 Also, survivors suffer from sleeplessness and their confidence level
decreases.
 In order to bring them to the mainstream of the society, they need
constant psychological support.
 Psychological intervention should be taken for the traumatized
survivors and proper preparedness to keep an updated assessment
record of vulnerable populations, community health nurse should
work.