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Emergency Volunteers:
Volunteers Needed in Case of Disaster
Volunteers in Preparedness Registry (VIPR) is a
database maintained by the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) that
contains contact and credential information on health care professionals who
have registered in advance to be volunteers in case of a disaster. Nurses are
greatly needed.
If you are interested in volunteering in advance or
during this or any emergent event, please register at
http://volunteer.msdh.state.ms.us, or for additional information about VIPR
and volunteerism, please contact the Mississippi State Department of Health,
Office of Emergency Planning and Response at 601-576-7680 or 1-866-458-4948.
All volunteers are welcomed and appreciated. Even
though this may be an emergency situation, we are asking that you practice
within the scope of your license and according to generally accepted standards
of nursing practice.
How to Verify Licensure
To verify
the status of a nursing license, scroll down until you see “Online Services” on
the left side of our website. Click “Online License Verification“ and a new pop
up window will appear. Click the “Continue” to begin. You will need to enter
either a “license number and last name” or the “last four digits of social
security number and last name.” All active Mississippi RN licenses expire
December 31, 2010. All active Mississippi LPN licenses expire December 31,
2009.
Emergency Management
Assistance Compact
Mississippi
is a member of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) which is an
agreement among all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands, to provide assistance across state lines when a disaster occurs. EMAC
provides that “in managing any emergency disaster that is duly declared by the
governor of the affected state, whether arising from natural disaster… Whenever
any person holds a license, certificate, or other permit issued by any party
state, such person shall be deemed licensed, certified, or permitted by the
state requesting assistance to render aid involving such skill to meet a
declared emergency or disaster, subject to such limitations and conditions as
the governor of the requesting state may prescribe by executive order or
otherwise.”
Advanced
Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)
APRNs
entering the state to volunteer must be able to provide evidence of a
collaborative relationship and a current protocol with a physician that can be
accessible at all times. If an APRN comes from a state which does not require a
collaborative relationship, he or she will need to form a collaborative
relationship and obtain an approved protocol with a physician before she
practices as an APRN in Mississippi.
Recovering Nurse Program/Compliance
If you have
a restricted Mississippi nursing license and are concerned about adhering to
restrictions, please understand that the Board of Nursing expects full
compliance with any and all restrictions placed on your license. In the event
that you do not have telephone service or a collection site for urine drug
screens, make every attempt to find appropriate alternatives. Document all
steps you have taken to comply with your restrictions. Emergency situations
will be reviewed with current conditions in mind. If you need to contact other
nurses in your area, please utilize your nurse support group.
Should you
find yourself involved in activities to rescue, evacuate or protect citizens,
residents, or patients, be mindful of your restrictions. Be certain that you
adhere to generally accepted standards of nursing practice, which would include
acting to preserve life and prevent injury.
Department of Health
Emergency Shelters - Shelters of Last Resort
The
Mississippi Nursing Practice Law and Rules and Regulations require nurses in
shelter settings to provide care which adheres to the law and to the applicable
standards of care. Medical orders concerning administration of medications at
home which are evidenced by pill bottles or IV bags etc. should be followed as
they would in the home. If interventions other than those covered by existing
medical prescriptions/orders are necessary or a question concerning existing
medical prescriptions/orders arise, the nurse should provide necessary first aid
and contact medical control through the mechanisms which are established by the
State Department of Health. If a nurse is assigned to a shelter in which people
are taking refuge at the last minute, the nurse should perform emergency first
aid, follow applicable written protocols and contact medical control through the
established mechanisms as soon as possible.
Other websites to view:
Governor Haley Barbour: www.governorbarbour.com
State of Mississippi:
www.mississippi.gov
Mississippi Emergency
Management:
www.msema.org
State Department of Health: www.msdh.state.ms.us
Volunteers in Preparedness Registry: http://volunteer.msdh.state.ms.us
American Red Cross:
www.redcross.org
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