On October 19th at precisely 10:19 a.m. (local time), individuals worldwide, including students from WPU’s Nursing Division, took part in the Great ShakeOut—a global initiative focused on earthquake preparedness. The initiative encourages people, communities, and organizations to engage in yearly drills to enhance their response to seismic events. Students from the Nursing Division joined the national drill at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, assuming nursing and patient roles to gain diverse insights into disaster preparedness, personal earthquake readiness, and the functioning of a major hospital during such drills.
Jessica Sandstrom, RN and Associate Dean of the Nursing Division coordinated student participation in this event. Jessica also serves on Legacy Emmanual’s Disaster and Education committee.
“This was an opportunity for our students to work with real people within a very high-pressure simulation alongside the trained nurses
and staff of Legacy,” said Jessica. “Our nursing students emerged with a newfound appreciation of the adaptability required in an emergency response — especially when facing a sudden natural disaster that could face the Northwest. Students value this vital collaboration in real-world settings.”
“We were incredibly fortunate to have WPU’s registered nurse students participate with us,” said Chris Dotson, Emergency Management Program Manager at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. “It was invaluable for our medical staff to have real people to play our ‘disaster patients.’ The students took their roles to heart and enjoyed acting out their chief complaints!”
The Great ShakeOut stresses the importance of educating oneself, and spreading awareness about earthquake preparedness. Here are some valuable resources on how you can prepare yourself and your family for the event of an earthquake.