The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Hurricane Katrina. The sinking of the Sewol ferry. The COVID-19 pandemic.
Both historical and current events are the subjects of discussions and activities in Disaster Nursing and Emergency Preparedness, a course for upper-level undergraduate nursing students at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.
Developed by Theresa Bucco, a clinical assistant professor at NYU Meyers, the course was first offered in 2019, but “once COVID hit, it became one of the most popular electives,” she says.
The course addresses the impact of a wide range of disasters—pandemics, natural disasters, mass casualty events, chemical and environmental disasters, and more—on individuals, communities, and the health care system. Students learn about the four phases of disasters (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery) through case studies, online FEMA trainings, guest speakers, and hands-on activities.
To teach it, Bucco draws on both personal experience—as an experienced critical care and emergency department nurse, which includes working on the frontlines of the pandemic—and the training she received through FEMA's Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama.
