Nurses Converge on Hurricane Helene-Affected Areas

• Hurricane Helene swept through the southeastern United States in late September, leaving destruction in its wake.
• Nurses from across the country have descended on the affected communities to offer their expertise and care.
• The boards of nursing in affected states (South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennesse, Florida, and Georgia) have shared the steps out-of-state nurses can take to help victims and survivors of Hurricane Helene.

As the death toll from Hurricane Helene continues to rise, nurses also continue to treat patients on the frontlines and help with relief efforts in disaster areas.

The hurricane made landfall on Sept. 26 near Perry, Florida, and as the storm weakened, it continued on a 500-mile path. Public health emergencies have been declared in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia.

Medical disaster teams and supplies have been sent to affected areas through the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“We will do everything we can to support the states as they work to bring the local health care infrastructure back to normal operations,” Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell  stated in a news release. 

Nurses Volunteer in Wake of Hurricane Helene

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) President Chris Dellinger issued a statement thanking healthcare workers and first responders for helping their communities “even as their own personal lives have been turned upside down by the storm.” She also stated that ENA was in contact with local leaders regarding support and recovery for its members. 

Meanwhile, the North Dakota Medical Reserve Corps sent half a dozen personnel to North Carolina, answering a request through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). 

“We are incredibly proud of these members of the Medical Reserve Corps in North Dakota,” Juli Sickler, HHS director of emergency preparedness and response, said in a news release. “Their assistance allows us to send top healthcare professionals to a state so desperately in need. This professional team will provide health and medical assistance to North Carolina’s citizens who are currently in shelters.”

Nurses from other states also are traveling to the affected areas. Kimberly Gebert, RN, from Alaska, recently arrived in Florida as an American Red Cross volunteer. KTUU reported that Gebert was one of two nurses “caring for about 90 displaced residents at a Florida shelter” as of Oct. 1.

“We’re just trying to help keep their spirits up and, you know, provide just compassion and care — help them get their medications and dressing changes, blood sugar checks, blood pressure, anything we can do to help them maintain their health while they’re in here,” Gebert told the local media outlet.

Nurses who work throughout the country in the HCA Healthcare system converged on Asheville, North Carolina, to provide assistance at Mission Hospital, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported.

How Nurses Can Help Across State Line

The Georgia Board of Nursing held an emergency meeting Sept. 27 at which it implemented a policy to allow licensed practical nurses and registered nurses “with active, unencumbered licenses from other states to practice in recognized healthcare systems in Georgia, including public health, during emergencies or disasters.”

Out-of-state nurses who would like to help relief efforts in North Carolina can do so during an official disaster designation, according to the North Carolina Board of Nursing, so long as certain criteria are met.

The South Carolina Board of Nursing requires employers, the American Red Cross, or “other official disaster relief organizations” to submit a limited emergency license form to practice in the state. If approved, the license is valid for 15 days from the approval date and can be extended an additional 15 days on request.

Tennessee nurses who were affected can receive assistance through the Tennessee Nurses Foundation. The North Carolina Nurses Association also has provided resources for nurses who have been affected by the hurricane. 

The Bottom Line

Nurses have been on the frontlines treating and caring for victims of Hurricane Helene over the past several days. Several practitioners traveled from out of state to help with recovery and relief efforts, as allowed by the individual state boards of nursing. Relief funds also are available for nurses who were affected by the hurricane. 

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this post misidentified ENA Chris Dellinger. It has since been corrected.

Read More