The most important immediate response of a nurse during a disaster is to activate the disaster plan in their hospital. This includes triaging patients, coordinating evacuations, and communicating effectively with other healthcare providers. Perhaps one of the most important factors when it comes to any emergency situation is maintaining organization and teamwork, which is seen in The Story of Hurricane Sandy and NYU Medical Center. 

Although nurses have a duty to care for their patients, it should not extend to the point where a nurse must feel as though they must negate their own needs for that of others. Situations in which a nurse may be faced with making a decision that prioritizes themselves or their patients include mass casualty events in which triaging becomes necessary, or if a scenario warrants that only one person may survive. It is the decision-making process of the nurse that needs to be refined to deal with emergency situations. All nurses should be trained in emergency preparedness, as it is unknown when these situations may occur and this training may help prevent a nurse from having to struggle between the code of ethics and their duty to self. However, nurses must also recognize the power that they hold from the viewpoint of their patients. A patient has a strong reliance and trust in their nurse to do what they believe is best. If a nurse decides to choose themselves over their patients, how will patients be able to trust not only nurses but the healthcare team? In these situations, we must remember that no single life is more important than another, it simply must come down to the professional opinion of the nurse to decide which life is more viable at that moment.

Al Harthi, M., Al Thobaity, A., Al Ahmari, W., & Almalki, M. (2020). Challenges for Nurses in Disaster Management: A Scoping Review. Risk management and healthcare policy, 13, 2627–2634. https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S279513