Preparedness is key in disaster management. Detailed plans for different disaster scenarios, including evacuation routes, communication strategies, and resource allocation enable to respond to and cope with disasters effectively.
Patients across all stages of chronic kidney disease are at particularly high risk during disasters - poor access to medicines and healthcare services, unhygienic conditions, risks of dehydration, and potential interruptions in life-saving kidney replacement therapies place them among the most vulnerable during disasters.
This survey, run by the Kidney Relief in Disasters Committee (KRD) of the European Renal Association in collaboration with the European Society for Paediatric Nephrology (ESPN) and the European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association (EDTNA/ERCA), was designed to evaluate the level of disaster preparedness among kidney healthcare professionals in the ERA geographical area.
The aim of our survey is to provide valuable insights for developing or updating emergency plans, identify resource gaps and prioritize needs. Results will inform emergency planners and kidney community leaders on the necessary steps for enhancing disaster preparedness.
The survey is open to ALL PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED IN KIDNEY CARE—not only those in leadership roles or with prior disaste management experience.
This survey is completely anonymous, and the protocol was approved by the ERA Scientific Advisory Board and Ethics Committee of the Medical University of Lodz (home institution of the Principal Investigator).
In this survey we address previous personal and professional experiences regarding disasters, and disaster preparedness initiatives in personal and professional contexts.
After each part of the survey, we leave a box for comments, remarks, and additional information. Please share all your thoughts to give us deeper insights. The approximate time of completing the survey is 15 minutes.
In case of questions or remarks, please do not hesitate to contact us via krd@era-online.org.
Ewa Pawlowicz-Szlarska MD, PhD, FERA
Principal Investigator on behalf
of the Disaster Preparedness Study Team
