Multi-prong approach to emergency preparedness in Georgia: Addressing the needs of public health nurses and faculty in nursing schools

To address the emergency preparedness educational needs of nurses in the state of Georgia, the Emory Center for Public Health Preparedness (Emory CPHP) has taken a multi-prong approach: targeting both public health nursing leaders as well as faculty in nursing preparation programs. The Leadership Institute in Public Health Preparedness is a training institute for public health nurses offered by the Emory CPHP in collaboration with local health districts within Georgia. The goal of the Institute is to train participants in core public health, leadership, and public health preparedness topics; to prepare participants for new and/or changing leadership roles in their public health practice community; and, to equip them with skills needed to assess their communities' ability to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. The Institute consists of on-campus sessions and intersession activities. Four Institutes have been held since 2004 – targeting 72 public health nursing leaders. Since 2005, the Emory CPHP has also held an annual one-day Emergency Preparedness Summit for Faculty in Georgia Schools of Nursing. This annual Summit provides an opportunity for faculty in the 35 nursing preparation programs to come together, explore curricular issues surrounding emergency preparedness, and discuss preparedness issues specific to Georgia. Together, the Leadership Institute and the Emergency Preparedness Summit, represent a comprehensive look at current and future nursing professionals and their roles in emergency preparedness and protecting the health of Georgians. This presentation will describe both the Leadership Institute and the Emergency Preparedness Summit including lessons learned from each.