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

In communities like Tall Oaks, the path to successful disaster recovery is hindered by entrenched socioeconomic disparities, communication gaps, and cultural diversity challenges. To promote an inclusive and effective disaster response, government initiatives must align with healthcare strategies and evidence-based communication protocols. This assessment applies the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework, which emphasizes effective information sharing, to evaluate how social, economic, and cultural determinants influence post-disaster health outcomes, equitable service access, and resilience building across diverse communities.

Determinants of Health and Barriers in Tall Oaks

Tall Oaks, a diverse urban area home to 50,000 people, faces notable health inequities, especially in emergency contexts. The average household income of \$44,444 does not reflect the high living costs, placing many families at an economic disadvantage. Low health literacy affects 22.5% of the population, stemming from limited educational attainment. Additionally, the lack of health insurance and a high number of disabled residents under 65 further complicate access to emergency healthcare services. The ethnic composition of Williamson County—49% White, 36% Black, and 25% Hispanic/Latino—presents both cultural strengths and linguistic barriers to communication (Capella University, n.d.).

Many elderly individuals live in flood-prone zones like Willow Creek and Pine Ridge, where disaster risk is compounded by poverty. Hispanic/Latino residents often encounter delays in receiving healthcare due to language differences and historical mistrust in medical institutions. Infrastructure damage during disasters prevents access to facilities like the Red Oaks Medical Center, especially when schools and community markets also shut down. These overlapping economic and social factors slow disaster recovery and exacerbate health inequalities. To protect vulnerable populations, equitable and inclusive response systems are needed to address these intersecting determinants.

Interrelationships Among Determinants and Barriers

The interaction of health determinants and access barriers forms a complex web that affects disaster preparedness and recovery in Tall Oaks. Income disparities lead to inadequate housing conditions, placing low-income and elderly individuals at heightened risk in disaster zones. Poor educational access limits health literacy, leaving many unable to follow emergency procedures. Language barriers particularly affect Hispanic/Latino residents, limiting their engagement with healthcare services and emergency updates (Capella University, n.d.).

Transportation and infrastructure deficits further marginalize low-income residents, preventing timely evacuations or access to medical help. Isolation, especially among the elderly or disabled, prolongs recovery timelines due to limited financial or social support (Blackman et al., 2023). These interrelated challenges call for integrated disaster strategies that include infrastructure investment, culturally sensitive communication, and coordinated community recovery planning.

Promoting Health Equity Through a Culturally Sensitive Disaster Recovery Plan

A tailored recovery strategy for Tall Oaks should embed social justice and cultural sensitivity into every aspect of its execution. This approach ensures all populations, regardless of income, race, language, or ability, have equal opportunity to regain health and stability after a disaster (Bhugra et al., 2022). The plan prioritizes outreach to marginalized groups by using multilingual messaging systems and culturally tailored communication to enhance access to timely information.

To deliver essential services, mobile health units and local recovery hubs will focus on high-impact areas, especially flood-affected zones, targeting populations with limited insurance or mobility (Sheerazi et al., 2025). Economic barriers will be mitigated through emergency transport systems, financial aid, and temporary housing solutions. Partnerships with community-based organizations will expand social service outreach and foster trust in recovery operations (Kristian & Fajar, 2024). Training for first responders on cultural competence will further strengthen community engagement and improve care delivery across demographics. Collectively, these strategies promote fairness, increase resilience, and accelerate equitable recovery.

Role of Health and Governmental Policy: A CERC Framework Approach

Disaster response in Tall Oaks must align with public policy and communication frameworks like the CDC’s CERC model. CERC emphasizes timely, accessible, and culturally competent messaging during disaster phases. The CDC’s free training programs enhance communication skills for thousands of professionals annually, promoting effective public health messaging (CDC, 2025). These communication strategies strengthen trust and guide communities toward informed decision-making.

Governmental mandates such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandate access to all emergency services, ensuring that shelters and healthcare services accommodate individuals with physical or communication limitations. Tall Oaks complies by offering interpreters and accessible facilities (ADA, 2025). Similarly, the Stafford Act enables Tall Oaks to receive federal support for infrastructure repairs and community health services during recovery phases. The Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) of 2018 provides additional flexibility in fund allocation, empowering Tall Oaks to prioritize flood mitigation efforts in Pine Ridge and Willow Creek (Horn et al., 2021).

A data-driven approach using trace-mapping technologies will identify service gaps, allowing authorities to direct resources where they are most needed. These combined legislative tools and frameworks facilitate fair and inclusive disaster recovery operations that adapt to community-specific needs.

Strategies to Overcome Communication Barriers and Interprofessional Collaboration

Tall Oaks must implement evidence-based solutions to resolve communication barriers and improve interprofessional cooperation during emergencies. Multilingual alerts, culturally adapted triage protocols, and interpretation services in medical settings such as Red Oaks Medical Center will ensure vital information reaches all demographic groups. Emergency shelters should have bilingual staff and utilize community radio systems to bridge communication gaps, especially with Hispanic/Latino residents.

Cultural training for disaster responders enhances trust and increases compliance with safety protocols (Bonfanti et al., 2023). Collaboration among healthcare providers, social workers, and emergency personnel will improve response coordination and resource allocation (Yazdani & Haghani, 2024). The following table outlines specific strategies and their intended impact:

NURS FPX 4055 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

Strategy	Purpose	Expected Impact
Multilingual Communication Systems	Reach diverse populations in real-time	Improved understanding and response compliance
Mobile Health Units	Provide services in inaccessible or flooded areas	Increased care access for high-risk groups
Cultural Competency Training	Equip staff to serve diverse populations empathetically	Strengthened patient-provider relationships
Community Partnerships	Engage local leaders and faith-based groups	Enhanced outreach to hard-to-reach populations
Trace-Mapping Tools	Identify underserved areas and resource deficits	Targeted aid distribution and efficient recovery

Ongoing community input through surveys and town halls will refine strategies to ensure they remain responsive to residents’ evolving needs (Vandrevala et al., 2024). Without these inclusive communication methods and teamwork structures, medical errors and treatment delays will increase—especially during high-stress disasters like floods or blackouts—affecting service delivery and community morale.

Conclusion

Tall Oaks must prioritize health determinants and communication effectiveness to ensure a resilient disaster recovery process. A comprehensive approach that integrates culturally sensitive practices, interprofessional collaboration, and aligned policy frameworks will address the city’s unique challenges. By embedding equity and inclusivity into recovery plans, all community members—including the most vulnerable—will gain the support and resources they need to rebuild and thrive post-disaster.

References

ADA. (2025). Health Care and the Americans With Disabilities Act | ADA National Network. 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. BMJ Open, 12(8), e056210. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056210

NURS FPX 4055 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

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

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. https://www.capella.edu/online-nursing-degrees/bachelors-rn-to-bsn-completion/

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

Horn, P. D., Lindsay, A. E., & 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

NURS FPX 4055 Assessment 3 Disaster Recovery Plan

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

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. BMC Global and Public Health, 2(1). https://doi.org/10…

Yazdani, M., & Haghani, M. (2024). Interdisciplinary collaboration in emergency response: A systems-based approach. Journal of Emergency Management Systems, 33(2), 112–120. https://doi.org/10.1027/jems-2024-0032