“Deadliest Railway Accident in Metrolink’s History”

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The Chatsworth train collision occurred at 4:22pm on Friday, September 12, 2008, when a Union pacific freight train and a Metrolink commuter train collided head-on in the Chatsworth district of Los Angeles, California. A northbound commuter train, holding mostly Moorpark and Simi Valley residents, collided with a Union Pacific freight train, killing 25 and injuring 135 others; 46 of them were critical. The scene of the accident was a curved section of single track on the Metrolink Ventura County Line just east of Stoney Point. The Simi Valley Acorn writes that according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which investigated the cause of the collision, the Metrolink train ran through a red signal before entering a section of single track where the opposing freight train had been given the right of way by the train dispatcher. The NTSB faulted the Metrolink train’s engineer for the collision, concluding that he was distracted by text messages he was sending while on duty.

The crash left 25 dead, including the engineer, Robert Sanchez, who had reportedly sent or received 43 text messages while on duty that day. His last message – to a teenage boy who he had told could operate the train later that day -was made just 22 seconds before the crash. Following the 16-month investigation, the board recommended to the Federal Railroad Administration that trains be installed with audio and video recorders to be assured that railroad employees are following safety rules. This event became the deadliest railway accident in Metrolink’s history. There was more than $7,100,500 in damage.

Responders: this “mass casualty event” brought massive emergency response by both the city and county of Los Angeles, but the nature and the extent of physical trauma taxed the available resources. The captain of the LAFD called for every heavy search and rescue unit in the city. Responders included CEMP (California Emergency Mobile Patrol Search and Rescue) as first responders, requested by LAPD. Firefighters, EMTs, air ambulances, public health officials, sheriffs, police officers, and healthcare providers responded to this event in order to triage those involved. Hundreds of emergency workers were involved.

This disaster is incredibly significant to me because I watched it unfold for hours on my television screen. My education was scheduled to begin the following month, but I knew that I wanted to be there. I contemplated driving to the scene but knew I was not qualified to help even though it occurred less than 15 miles from my home. This is when I knew I wanted to enter the healthcare industry, somehow, someway. Seven years later (today), I would drive to the scene without hesitation. I hope that we are better prepared for a similar event. There was no discussion about Ventura County responders, but I would assume that they could help in any way they could. All I know is that I will be there as a responder who is now qualified to help next time something of this nature occurs!

Information and images included are courtesy of Simi Valley Acorn and Foxnews.com

Santa Clara Waste Plant in Santa Paula, Ca

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The Santa Clara Waste Plant in Santa Paula had a chemical explosion in mid-November 2014. The plant had mixed sodium chlorite and waste that caused an explosion. The mixture exploded when chemical introduced in a vacuum truck. Over 1,000 gallons of the material spilled, crystalized, dried and ignited into flames. The mixture was not identified when fire fighters went into care for the injured individuals of the explosion. Once the fire fighter trucks went over the mixture the tires began to burst into flames. The fire fighters and injured party were treated at the local hospital for inhalation injury, and rashes.

I believe some of the barriers for healthcare providers and providing care included dealing with an unknown chemical substance. If the environment is not safe for health care providers to be at it is almost impossible to expect the injured individual to be provided adequate care. Fire fighters responded to the injured individual, but caused more injured because the environment was not cleared before emergency responders charged into provide care. As a health care provider I feel that it would be better to neutralize the chemical first then to increase the number of individuals that need to be cared for by exposing myself. If the disaster occurs in the future health care providers should have a list of chemicals that were involved in the explosion.

After the explosion the 126 free way was closed down while detoured traffic and caused local schools to shut down. The plant made a pledge to clean up the spill and remain closed until they went through the proper channels for approval to be reopened. Environmentally, the effects of the mixture are still unknown because the sodium chlorite and waste made a new chemical. Socioeconomically, the plant employed hundreds of workers that lost their jobs when the plant shut down. These workers had to seek unemployment. I feel that we can continue to learn from this disaster.

 

Chen, T., & Goff, K. (2014). Dozens Treated After California Waste Plant Fire. Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Firefighters-Hospitalized-After-HazMat-Explosion-283059521.html

Wilson, K. (2015). Chemical that triggered Santa Paula blast . Retrieved April 22, 2015, from http://www.vcstar.com/news/local-news/county-news/chemical-that-triggered-santa-paula-blast-identified_47049879

Hurricane Katrina: Healthcare Perspective

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Image Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/07/hurricane-katrina-after-the-flood

Hurricane Katrina was the most destructive “natural” disaster in US History. It impacted about 90,000 square miles and displaced over two million people.  The healthcare infrastructure in New Orleans ranked among poorest in the nation and the hurricane greatly impacted the healthcare infrastructure. Hospital basements were flooded and medications, food, equipment and supplies were lost. Electrical systems were destroyed and hospitals eventually ran out of fuel to power their generators. For many hospitals running water was not available and sewage systems did not function and communication was not possible. Food had to be rationed among individuals in the hospital and more problems occurred by additional patients seeking care and other members looking for temporary shelter. There were 16 hospitals in the New Orleans area and 8 were closed permanently. Of the practicing doctors 2,000 of the 3,500 were displaced. The available resources were insufficient to care for the community and affected individuals after the hurricane (Rodriguez and Aguirre, 2006).

The hurricane affected the quality of care of many patients. Not having running water inhibited hand hygiene putting patients at risk of HAI’s. Not having a running sewage system also did not work in their favor. Medications were not available, beds, and chaos occurred. The hospitals were filled to their maximum capacity and they were probably short staffed. The Hurricane depleted all the hospitals stores and not being able to communicate and know when assistance was on their way must have been a frustrating situation. Eventually other states, government, the Red Cross, volunteers, etc… were able to help and it has been a long journey in making New Orleans what it was before the disaster.

I cannot imagine being a nurse in this situation. It must be very frustrating knowing that your patient needs care and you are not able to provide it because you do not have the necessary supplies. Also it would be important to prioritize care and provide comfort measures. Also non-pharmacological interventions would be necessary due to lack of medications. It would be very difficult to be a nurse in this situation, but very rewarding. In order to be able to function properly you need to be organized, calm, and think out of the box. We all need to be prepared for any kind of disaster. After Hurricane Katrina, a few more hurricanes have occurred and the response has been better. I believe that we are now more prepared for any disaster, but we will never fully be prepared.

References:

Rodriguez, H. and Aguirre, B.E. (2006). The impact of hurricane Katrina on the medical and healthcare infrastructure: A focus on disaster preparedness, response, and resiliency. Disaster Research Center (DRC) University of Delaware. Retrieved from: http://udspace.udel.edu/bitstream/handle/19716/2380/Australia%20PP%20-%20Havid%C3%A1n%20DSPACE%20READY.pdf?sequence=1

Final Reflection

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    Wow! I can’t believe this semester is almost over! Actually, the last three years have truly flown faster than I had ever expected. It is true what the students from prior semesters and faculty shared with us at our first orientation regarding the cohesiveness and strong bonds we would form with one another by the end of the three years. It is strange to think that we all sat together in a room three years ago, and didn’t speak or know one another. It feels as though we have become a family – in the truest sense of the word, with all the ups and downs all families experience.

In reflecting on my learning this semester, I can’t help but think of the large role technology has played. I remember sharing in our first ever blogpost that I was slightly skeptical about the idea of forming an “online identity.” I also felt skeptical about reconstructing our way of learning and shifting to a lot of voice thread, blogposts and videos. I have to say however, that I personally felt like I learned a great deal more after transitioning over. Additionally, I felt more efficient when creating voice threads, recordings and videos and felt that a significant amount of learning took place in a shorter amount of time. When I look at my growth over the span of three years however, it is remarkable to see myself as a completely different person.

It is almost strange to think of myself 3 years ago, before having learned as much as I have. I remember being told our first year that the program was designed like a spiral staircase, where each year we would have the opportunity to build on those things we learned the first time around. As I entered critical care, I was able to see how true that statement was. This semester I was able to utilize the concepts I had worked so hard to learn our first and second year and adapt them to the new material we were covering. Although I know that there is a large learning curve up ahead after graduation, I can say I feel confident to confront it. I feel I have learned a lot – but more importantly I now know where and how to access the resources needed when I come across something new. I feel prepared to move on to the next chapter as I develop my skill set as a novice nurse and put into action the values and knowledge I have gained from this amazing institution. On to a new adventure!

Protected: Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

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Would love to show you all my latest graphs

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I would love to show you all my latest graphs, however, the embed option on my plotly does not seem to work and I have tried to upload my graphs as pngs as well, and I have had no success. I will try again tomorrow and hope for the best. I apologize, but the data will be available shortly. Thank you for your understanding.

Typhoon Yolanda, Philippines

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On November 8, 2013, Typhoon Yolanda swept the Philippines and is still considered the most powerful storm recorded in history. The devastating outcomes of this storm left the country with millions of dollars worth of damage. Although the storm lasted only one day, its winds, reaching speeds of greater than 250 km/hr, ravaged several cities in Central Philippines(WHO, 2013). As a result, there were 6201 deaths, 4.1 million people were displaced, 1.1 million homes damaged and 16 million people were affected (USAID, 2014). Government preparations began three days prior to the storm’s arrival and included preparing and allocating food and relief items, evacuation, and healthcare and rescue personnel deployment (GovPh, 2014). Despite these preparations, the aftermath proved the country to be ill-prepared for a storm of this magnitude. Both government aid, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) responded in an effort to provide much needed supplies and aid to the country (WHO, 2013). Emergency kits were provided to cover basic health needs of 120,000 people and 400 surgical interventions. Additionally, international support came in form of medical teams and hospitals to provide emergent care to the country’s wounded (WHO, 2013).

In addition to destroying homes and uprooting trees and telecommunication equipment, the storm destroyed all hospitals. Road blockages and lack in emergency relief stations and shelters posed a significant barrier in the response to the disaster. Both air ports and sea ports were closed, which further contributed to a lack of access to care and responders. On November 22, 2013, 14 days after the storm hit, one million food packs and more than two hundred thousand liters of clean water were distributed to the areas affected (GovPh, 2014). By this date, almost one thousand aid centers were established. The Philippines continues to see the effects of the catastrophic storm a year later as they finally transition out of the emergent humanitarian relief phase to the rehabilitation stage (USAID, 2014). Although the country anticipates and prepares for an expected amount of storms each year, it was clear that this catastrophic event required a significant amount of preparation. Humanitarian funding totaling $87,735,775 as of February 18, 2014 was reported to help significantly in the country’s initial emergent phase (USAID, 2014). The country’s low socioeconomic status certainly affected the initial access to resources and continues to be an issue plaguing citizens today. As mentioned in the USAID report (2014), the country’s economy depends heavily on the production of coconuts, thus affecting the livelihood of more than one million coconut farmers after the storm destroyed 33 million coconut trees. Lingering public health concerns associated with the storm include the shortage of dengue fever prevention and treatment, immunizations, mental health and psychosocial support (USAID, 2014).

As I imagine myself as a healthcare provider, I can see the hopelessness one might feel amidst such a catastrophic event. I can only imagine the desperation and overwhelming feeling as one of the only healthcare providers with thousands of severely injured people to help. Knowing you can only do very little with the limited resources and without a rescue shipment in sight would only deepen the desperation one might feel in the wake of such a calamity. Days seem like years in these instances, and although aid finally arrived, it proved to be too late for so many. The Philippines has since focused on disaster preparedness by establishing projects making the Eastern Visayas less vulnerable to typhoons and preparing with sufficient food, medical kits and generators. In May of 2014, government agencies and private organizations launched an application that provides satellite images and high resolution hazard maps to be used in rehabilitation efforts in the Philippines (GovPh, 2014). Although the Philippines has made great strides in rehabilitating since the storm, it still is unprepared to face another of such a magnitude as it is still working toward re-establishing to its baseline function. I think it’s important to consider however, that as healthcare providers we must be prepared for possibility of such an event occurring in our own state or country.

References:
USAID. (2014). Fact Sheet #21, Fiscal year 2014. Retrieved from http://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/philippines_ty_fs21_02-18-2014.pdf
WHO. (2013). WHO responding to health needs caused by Typhoon Haiyan (“Yolanda”). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2013/typhoon-haiyan/en/
GovPh. (2014). Typhoon yolanda a year later. Retrieved from http://www.gov.ph/crisis-response/updates-typhoon-yolanda/

Greetings & Farewell

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The semester is quickly coming to a close and commencement will be here before we know it. We would like to take a moment and recognize the dedication and hard work of our student assistants. As many of you know, Brianna Garcia-Milner has been our student assistant since late 2013. In May she will graduate with […]

Self-Care Practices BSN Information

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Self-Care Practices of Baccalaureate Nursing Students – Study Participants
 
If you have completed the pre-survey, and are currently planning to complete the 9 exercise classes to be eligible for a raffle- this is just a friendly reminder that this is the last week for you to complete those classes as the exercise study ends on April 25.
 
This is a great opportunity for you to give yourselves a legitimate study break before finals to do something to help with your stress level.  We really appreciate your participation in our study.

Colleen Nevins, RN, MN, DNP
Jacqueline B. Sherman RN, PhD​
Brooklyn Steinfeld
Elizabeth Vinci
Jessica Wager

Check Out My New Graph

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Mean Intensity of Parasites from the Proportion of Crabs with Parasites 

The graph above shows in blue, crabs that are infected with parasites from my total population of 165 specimens. The orange columns show the mean parasite intensity within the infected crab population.