Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #122053

Kaye Bender, RN, PhD, FAAN, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Nursing, Professor and Dean, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, 601-984-6220, kbender@son.umsmed.edu

The national interest on emergency preparedness, coupled with the ongoing attention to response to natural disasters, presents the public health nurse with a myriad of practice issues to comprehend. While basic mass sheltering historically was a relatively simple issue, the increased numbers of medically fragile people living at home, create new challenges to special needs shelter management. Consideration has been given to whether legislation is needed to adequately guide the public health nurse in defining the scope of practice under these circumstances. This session will explore the policy issues related to this potentially new area of legislative definition for nursing practice.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the implications of legislation on the scope of public health nursing practice during public health disaster or emergency preparedness and response events.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.