Last year, a tornado called Widener University’s nursing students into action. This year, Darby Creek flooded after a heavy rain.
No worries, though. No one was hurt or killed, no property damaged on the Chester campus.
It’s part of Widener’s disaster drill run by the university’s School of Nursing to test how well prepared its senior nursing students are to handle emergencies.
It tests real-life disaster response and recovery skills in a safe and controlled environment.
This year’s simulation took place on campus Wednesday, April 23, in the Scwartz Athletic Center.
About 125 undergraduate nursing students participated in the interdisciplinary drill, guided by experts from the American Red Cross and the Delaware County Department of Health.
In a world that is seeing an increase in natural disasters, from wildfires in Los Angeles to severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in the south, response and recovery services are critically important.
This simulation provides students with a hands-on learning opportunity to understand their role and capacity within a large response system.
The nursing students arrived at the simulation knowing a drill would take place but were not aware of the scope of the disaster or the nature of the disaster.
This year’s simulation mimicked an unpredictable natural disaster—the flooding of Darby Creek following a heavy period of rain.
The floods have displaced local residents, and an immediate post-flood response effort was needed.
Senior nursing students are divided into two groups. About 65 students became flood survivors, while another 60 served as response volunteers.
The volunteer group teamed up with experts from the American Red Cross and Delaware County Health Department to provide recovery services such as temporary housing, temporary transportation, reunification, as well as mental and physical health services.
The Widener community and surrounding neighbors were made aware of the simulated drill ahead of time.
Once the one-hour drill ended at 11:30, students attended debriefing sessions to review their performance and discuss the strengths and weaknesses in their responses during the Widener disaster drill.
About Widener University
Widener University is a private institution known for its commitment to the personal and professional success of every student,
The university offers an outstanding student experience through an agile, innovative, and inclusive approach to learning.
Industry-shaping faculty provide close, personal mentorship and share powerful connections that help students build professional networks.
The school is recognized as one of the Philadelphia region’s leading universities.
