NURS FPX 4055 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4055 Optimizing Population Health through Community Practice

Prof. Name

Date

Disaster Recovery Plan

Communities such as Tall Oaks struggle to achieve successful recovery after disasters due to prevalent socio-economic inequalities, communication differences, and cultural diversity issues. An effective disaster recovery relies on uniting government strategies with healthcare policies and proven methods for enhancing communication and teamwork between specialists. The Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication framework will guide this assessment to demonstrate how specific factors influence disaster recovery outcomes, health disparity reduction, and service equity during emergencies.

Determinants of Health and Barriers in Tall Oaks

The diverse city of Tall Oaks serves 50,000 residents who experience significant health and safety problems because normal income levels do not match costs. Many people in Tall Oaks live in poverty, which affects their chances of getting emergency disaster response services since their income stands at $44,444. Health literacy within the city remains low at 22.5% because very few residents hold college degrees.

People without insurance and disabled American adults under 65 face elevated dangers during emergencies. Different racial groups live together in Williamson County, with 49% White and 36% Black people, but 25% Hispanic/Latinos create both benefits and communication access problems (Capella University, n.d). Many homes with cost-conscious older adults sit in areas frequented by floods at Willow Creek and Pine Ridge. The cultural obstacles of language misunderstandings and healthcare trust problems make it hard for Hispanic/Latino residents to get necessary services in time.

Elderly and disabled people feel isolated because they lack usable support networks and must relocate after flooding areas (Bailie et al., 2022). Economic problems make the situation worse because poor residents usually cannot get to healthcare facilities or find good places to live. The broken infrastructure prevents people from accessing medical care at the Red Oaks Medical Center when schools and markets remain shut. Many social customs are similar to economic conditions, making helping victims and rebuilding take longer. We need both complete and fair methods to maintain healthier communities after emergencies.

Interrelationships Among Determinants and Barriers

Multiple health determinants plus barriers exist in an interconnected system, complicating disaster safety results, recovery efforts, and health outcomes across Tall Oaks. The socioeconomic gaps in the area create substandard housing options in flood-prone zones, thus exposing low-income families, together with older adults, to enhanced disaster hazards. Educational disparities decrease health literacy, making it harder for defenseless populations to comprehend and execute disaster readiness instructions. Because of language and cultural differences, the communication gap between healthcare providers and Hispanic/Latino residents restricts their timely access to health care and essential resources (Capella University, n.d). T

he destruction of infrastructure blocks off disadvantaged populations who mainly live in poverty and do not have access to secure transportation for evacuating or accessing medical facilities. Recovery times get extended for affected individuals who lack enough financial support while dealing with health issues or disabilities because of isolation (Blackman et al., 2023). Tall Oaks’ effective disaster preparation requires communities to work together on recovery planning and put money into strong infrastructure while developing communication approaches that respect cultural differences.

Promoting Health Equity Through a Culturally Sensitive Disaster Recovery Plan 

The proposed disaster recovery plan for Tall Oaks reduces health disparities while improving community service accessibility through an approach that bases its foundation on social justice principles and cultural sensitivity elements. Under social justice principles, everyone with varying incomes or racial backgrounds, language, or ability status should gain access to reach their health potential (Bhugra et al., 2022). The disaster plan focuses on supporting marginalized populations in the first step because such groups typically endure the most adverse disaster effects.

The strategy employs multilingual communication systems and culturally relevant outreach methods, which provide Hispanic/Latino populations and minority groups with timely disaster-related information. Secondly, medical services through mobile units and community recovery facilities will first reach flood-affected zones to help vulnerable patients (Sheerazi et al., 2025). It includes everyone from uninsured backgrounds, patients who lack health coverage, individuals with disabilities, adults past 65, and those from lower-income families who usually find it hard to access normal healthcare locations. Thirdly, economic barriers will receive support through crisis transportation systems, nearby temporary shelters, and financial assistance programs that assist with post-disaster medical care and housing costs.

NURS FPX 4055 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Lastly, the plan will develop strategic partnerships with community-based organizations to expand social service networks while enabling resource distribution and building trust between residents and social organizations (Kristian & Fajar, 2024). Societal justice principles of equity, participation, and human rights ensure every community group receives fair treatment throughout the plan. First responders and healthcare workers receive culturally appropriate training as part of the plan to enhance their service delivery to different communities. Through these combined initiatives, underserved communities will receive empowerment alongside increased resilience and long-term recovery efforts rooted in fairness and inclusion.

 Role of Health and Governmental Policy: A CERC Framework Approach

Community disaster recovery in Tall Oaks depends heavily on health and governmental policies that adhere to the Centres for Disease Control’s Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework. Across disaster management phases, the CERC framework underscores immediate, accurate, and accessible communication functions as a priority, especially for recovery efforts. Through its CERC program, the CDC provides no-cost training about emergency communication that health professionals and organizations can attend virtually or in person.

Free virtual CERC sessions that run from sixty minutes to two or three hours present core principles of CERC, while also demonstrating plain language communication methods. CERC training has reached over 5,000 professionals who participated in 2024 to enhance emergency communication and safeguard public health (CDC, 2025). Strategic communication policies maintain public trust while enabling informed choices and producing effective and fair recovery operations. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires mobility access for all recovery activities, including shelter services, information access, healthcare, and emergency service delivery to all capable individuals. The city of Tall Oaks provides people with disabilities full access through ramps and interpreters at meetings and flexible resources throughout recovery centers.

NURS FPX 4055 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

The Americans living with disabilities total 1 in 5 of the population, which emphasizes the need for medical compliance. Health providers must deliver physical access, translation services, and assistive tools while readjusting medical processes for all patients (ADA, 2025). Through the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, states can obtain essential federal resources to rectify their recovery initiatives, infrastructure repair needs, and medical services. Under this law, Tall Oaks can get instant financial help and operational backing that specifically supports defenseless communities. Prevention plans and preparedness standards conduct improvements through the 2018 Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA).

Tall Oaks receives increased funding to improve flood control systems when backed by this framework, while allocating resources to vulnerable areas such as Pine Ridge and Willow Creek. The DRRA extends funding eligibility rules to add flexibility when utilizing disaster assistance funds for housing and medical support, thus benefiting uninsured and low-income families (Horn et al., 2021). Adopting trace-mapping tools that stem from contact tracing practices allows for better community recovery tracking by showing areas with service deficiencies and population requirements.

The data-based method will enable authorities to direct recovery aid to specific locations where populations lack adequate support. Through implementation based on the CERC framework, health and government policies develop meaningful steps from legislative mandates (CDC, 2025). They ensure that all community members, regardless of ability, income, or background, have the tools and support needed for an inclusive and equitable recovery.

Strategies to Overcome Communication Barriers and Interprofessional Collaboration

The disaster recovery efforts of Tall Oaks need evidence-based strategies that solve communication problems and build professional teamwork. Multilingual communication channels should be available to reach all language groups, particularly Hispanic/Latino residents, during critical situations. Shelters providing multilingual staff, text alerts, and community radio systems will enable fair access to emergency updates. For example, Red Oaks Medical Center must implement multilingual signage, interpretation services, and culturally appropriate triage protocols during surges in emergency visits.

The disaster relief response teams must receive training about different cultures because this training builds trust and enables better interactions with vulnerable groups. The relationship between cultural sensitivity and disaster instruction adherence exists (Bonfanti et al., 2023). Another important strategy involves interprofessional collaboration. Establishing platforms that connect healthcare services with social work staff alongside emergency response personnel enhances both effectiveness and the broad scope of recovery operations (Yazdani & Haghani, 2024). Organized response mechanisms produce superior resource distribution alongside swift recovery outcomes.

NURS FPX 4055 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Local community leaders and organizations, which include faith-based groups and schools, should be involved in reaching those who lack technology access or transportation capabilities. Community surveys and town hall meetings create feedback loops that assist recovery teams in maintaining alignment with resident requirements (Vandrevala et al., 2024). Allowing community members to participate directly in decisions leads to better satisfaction while delivering superior recovery results over an extended period. The strategies will improve Tall Oaks’ disaster recovery processes and guarantee equal service availability to every resident in the community.

Hospital teams working without these strategies will experience more medical errors, delayed treatments, and reduced trust among patients who do not speak English, particularly during floods or power outages when panic rises. The morale of healthcare professionals diminishes while response delays occur alongside diminished effectiveness in interprofessional collaboration.

Conclusion

The integrated health factors and effective communication networks should become priorities since they directly affect Tall Oaks’ disaster recovery performance. Proficient disaster recovery outcomes emerge through community development of culturally appropriate methods, interprofessional teamwork, and policy alignment between health agencies and governmental bodies. As a result of these policies, more people will gain access to needed services, which support equal health opportunities for all community members who must overcome challenges to recover in disaster situations.

References

ADA. (2025). Health Care and the Americans With Disabilities Act | ADA National Network. Adata.org. https://adata.org/factsheet/health-care-and-ada

Bailie, J., Matthews, V., Bailie, R., Villeneuve, M., & Longman, J. (2022). Exposure to risk and experiences of river flooding for people with disability and carers in rural Australia: A cross-sectional survey. British Medical Journal Open, 12(8), e056210–e056210. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056210

Bhugra, D., Tribe, R., & Poulter, D. (2022). Social justice, health equity, and mental health. South African Journal of Psychology, 52(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/00812463211070921

Blackman, D., Prayag, Nakanishi, H., Chaffer, J., & Freyens, B. (2023). Wellbeing in disaster recovery: Understanding where systems get stuck. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 95, 103839–103839. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.103839

NURS FPX 4055 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Bonfanti, R. C., Oberti, B., Ravazzoli, E., Rinaldi, A., Ruggieri, S., & Schimmenti, A. (2023). The role of trust in disaster risk reduction: A critical review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21010029

Capella University. (n.d). RN to BSN: Online bachelor’s degree. Capella.edu. https://www.capella.edu/online-nursing-degrees/bachelors-rn-to-bsn-completion/

CDC. (2025). Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC). Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC). https://www.cdc.gov/cerc/php/about/index.html

Horn, P, D., A, E., Lindsay, & M, E. (2021). The Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 (DRRA): Implementation update tables for select provisions. Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46774

Kristian, I., & Fajar, M. (2024). Integrating community-based approaches into national disaster management policies: Lessons from recent natural disasters. The International Journal of Law Review and State Administration, 2(4), 115–125. https://doi.org/10.58818/ijlrsa.v2i4.150

Sheerazi, S., Awad, S. A., & von Schreeb, J. (2025). Use of mobile health units in natural disasters: A scoping review. BioMed Central Health Services Research, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-12067-9

NURS FPX 4055 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Vandrevala, T., Morrow, E., Coates, T., Boulton, R., Crawshaw, A. F., O’Dwyer, E., & Heitmeyer, C. (2024). Strengthening the relationship between community resilience and health emergency communication: A systematic review. BioMed Central Global and Public Health, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-024-00112-y

Yazdani, M., & Haghani, M. (2024). A conceptual framework for integrating volunteers in emergency response planning and optimization assisted by decision support systems. Progress in Disaster Science, 24, 100361–100361. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pdisas.2024.100361