Implementation of a COVID-19 Closed/Open POD Partnership: A Creative Professional Practice Exemplar for Occupational and Environmental Health Nurses.

BACKGROUND: For more than 15 years, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that all community agencies and workplace environments create structured communication and collaborative plans for emergency or disaster events (2008). This recommendation is aligned with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (2022) National Infrastructure Protection Plan. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic ultimately demonstrated the importance of having organized plans and processes in place for the effective and rapid dispensing of medical countermeasures (MCMs) to the general populace. Occupational and environmental health nurses (OHNs) can utilize examples of successful MCM dispensing programs and adjust details to fit individual organizational needs. METHODS: This report examines a closed point of dispensing (Closed POD) mass vaccination program as a guide for designing successful workplace partnerships. FINDINGS: Closed PODs are public or private sites that have set up a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with local health authorities to dispense MCMs to their populations during a public health emergency. The desired outcome of a closed POD agreement is the facilitation of employee health and safety, as well as enabling workplace continuity of operations. CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: OHNs will play a pivotal role in any future disaster or emergency event. Because OHNs understand the critical need for anticipatory planning, they are in a prime position to drive the creation and implementation of a closed POD partnership between their workplace and their local health department.

Disaster readiness for nurses in the workplace: preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges citizens everywhere to prepare for any emergency that might occur in their areas. In conjunction with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the CDC has designed a four-step plan ("Ready America") to assist all Americans in taking action. As the largest body of health care providers, nurses across the nation have the potential to contribute substantially to disaster readiness in the workplace and the community. This article reviews lessons learned from previous disasters and also presents an overview of ethical-legal considerations related to disaster nursing care. In addition, a preparation guide for nurses in the workplace and on the home front is presented. Disaster preparation resources are also provided.