Experiences of nurse leaders surviving Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Abstract

Hurricane Katrina left New Orleans, Louisiana, USA destroyed by its impact on 29 August 2005. Working during a hurricane was nothing new to these authors. Having lived in New Orleans all our lives, we were used to preparing our homes and our families to weather the storm. Nurses are in leadership positions before, during, and after any disaster. Nurses are called upon to report to duty, leaving their loved ones to care for themselves while the nurses care for the sick and frail in unbelievably difficult situations. The purpose of this article is to share our experiences as nurse survivors during Hurricane Katrina, reflecting on 10 major aspects of disaster planning from the perspective of the "Then" (during the storm) and the "Now" (current recommendations).