American Red Cross Chapter Nurse

American Red Cross Chapter Nurse

The American Red Cross (ARC) is a charitable humanitarian organization that provides compassionate care in five service lines: disaster relief, blood services, health and safety education and training, services to the armed forces, and international services. The disaster relief services responds to approximately 70,000 disasters yearly in the United States (American Red Cross, 2013a). The ARC responds to approximately 190 house fires per day in the US, which is the most frequent disaster response in the US (American Red Cross, 2013b). In the San Luis Valley (SLV) services to the armed forces is in the early stages of development; however, the ARC assists to military members and veterans, including the family members. Approximately 150,000 military families and veterans receive assistance from the ARC annually (American Red Cross, 2013e). Health and safety courses offered by the ARC include cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid, emergency preparedness, babysitting training, and many more. International services provide large-scale disaster relief services overseas as a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Society. In addition to disaster relief overseas, the ARC provides assistance to reconnect families separated by war or disaster and is a leader in the Measles and Rubella Initiative.

Background Information

Becoming a volunteer

I began to prepare for the Service Learning class in April by contacting my preceptor, Bill Werner, SLV Disaster Coordinator, regarding the possibility of becoming an ARC nurse volunteer. Bill and I met in June and rekindled the volunteer nurse discussion and I verbally agreed to become a volunteer. In July, I attended an American Red Cros...

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American Red Cross. (2013c). Mission, vision, and fundamental principles. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/about-us/mission

American Red Cross. (2013d). The problem. Retrieved from Measles and rubella initiative: http://www.measlesrubellainitiative.org/learn/the-problem/

American Red Cross. (2013e). What we do. Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/what-we-do

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Principles of epidemiology in public health practice, 3rd edition. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/osels/scientific_edu/ss1978/lesson1/Section8.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Overview of Measles Disease. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/overview.html

Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public health nursing: Population-centered heath care in the community. Maryland Heights: Mosby Elsevier.