Disaster Preparedness: Mitigation, Response, and Recovery to Ensure Staffing Excellence in Los Angeles County

The goal of disaster mitigation, response, and recovery is to ensure the community does not lose healthcare services and the hospital maintains business continuity. The primary goal is to maintain safe patient care and care for all disaster victims who arrive. A secondary goal is to minimize financial impact by utilizing resources efficiently. Maintaining nurse staffing during times of crisis requires planning and a system to mobilize resources, as well as an organized disaster program at the hospital. Two different staffing plans will be presented from two Los Angeles hospitals that are designated by the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency as a Disaster Resource Center.