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The purpose of this focused ethnography was to describe the shared experiences of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) who were on duty in New Orleans, Louisiana, during Hurricane Katrina as well as to elucidate the psychosocial impact the storm had on them. Ten CRNAs participated in 1 of 3 focus groups that were audio recorded. The audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative data analysis computer software (NVivo 8, QSR International, Melbourne, Australia).
Six major themes emerged from the study: caught offguard; sense of duty; uncertainty/powerlessness/ frustration; group identity and cohesiveness; anger; and life-changing event. The themes represented how the CRNAs appraised and coped with the stressful events surrounding Hurricane Katrina. The psychosocial impact of Hurricane Katrina on the CRNAs resulted mainly in short-term sleep disturbances and increased drinking. Only 2 CRNAs expressed longterm psychosocial effects from the storm. The results of this study should be used to guide policies regarding disaster activation of CRNAs, to educate CRNAs on preparing for disaster duty, and to provide a framework for future disaster studies regarding CRNAs.
Keywords: CRNAs, focused ethnography, Hurricane Katrina, natural disaster.
Hurricane Katrina, which hit New Orleans, Louisiana, as a category 3 storm, was one of the most devastating natural disasters in US history. The storm damaged all hospitals in New Orleans and closed several of them permanently. The mayor of New Orleans called for an unprecedented mandatory evacuation of all nonessential personnel on August 28, 2005. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) were considered essential personnel in the hospitals and were required to report for duty during disasters.
In the event of tropical storms and hurricanes, New Orleans hospitals had staffing policies in place. Most hospitals used activation/duty teams, which were expected to report for duty just before a storm with provisions and clothing for approximately 3 days. Provisions included nonperishable food and water. The hospitals also utilized recovery teams, which were expected to relieve the activation team within 3 days after a storm. In the past, CRNAs who were on duty during storms were typically relieved the day after a storm. However, the widespread flooding and closure of roads in the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina made relief of the activation team impossible. When the patients and staffin...