VISION
The Nursing Section of WADEM strives to be the organizational vehicle welcoming and representing nurses from all countries with an intent and desire to strengthen and improve the practice and knowledge of disaster nursing.

MISSION
The proposed mission of the Nursing Section of WADEM is to foster collaboration among nurses involved in research, education, management, and practice in pre-hospital, emergency, public health, and/or disaster health care.

PURPOSE
The purposes of the Nursing Section of WADEM are to:
(1) Define nursing issues for public health care and disaster health care;
(2) Exchange scientific and professional information relevant to the practice of disaster nursing;
(3) Encourage collaborative efforts enhancing and expanding the field of nursing disaster research;
(4) Encourage collaboration with other nursing organizations;
(4) Inform and advise WADEM of matters related to disaster nursing.

GOALS
The goals of the Nursing Section of WADEM are to:
(1) Develop an nursing declaration of disaster co-operation;
(2) Network and integrate nursing into WADEM activities and programs;
(3) Foster the professional growth of the members of the Nursing Section;
(4) Train and educate nurse researchers on the methodology of disaster research based on the Utstein Guidelines.

MEETINGS
A business meeting of the Nursing Section officers and members will be held coincident with and in the same location as each WCDEM.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
Benefits for members of the Nursing Section include:
a. Section membership included in WADEM membership fee
b. Discounted registration fee for the WCDEM and other WADEM meetings
c. Opportunity to participate in WADEM Task Forces and Committees
d. Annual subscription to Prehospital and Disaster Medicine (PDM)
e. Subscription to Nursing Insight literature review
f. Involvement in disaster educational programs including research methodology using the Utstein Guidelines
g. Professional networking activities
h. Venue for formal presentation of disaster nursing research
i. Recognition and promotion of nursing as an essential component of disaster health care

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES:
Executive Committee leaders of the Nursing Section will consist of a Chairperson, Chair-Elect and Secretary. Leaders will serve for a period of two (2) years and will be elected by a two-thirds majority vote of members present at the bi-annual Business Meeting held during the WCDEM.


1.0 Chair of Nursing Section
___1.1 Direct and guide functions and long-range plans of the Nursing Section
___1.2 Appoint Section Committee and Task Force Chairs
___1.3 Oversee and regularly communicate with Committees and Task Forces
___1.4 Serve as spokesperson for the Nursing Section
___1.5 Serve as WADEM Board member for duration of office tenure
___1.6 Report Section activities to WADEM Board at least twice/year

2.0 Chair-Elect
___2.1 Assist the Chair in functions of the Nursing Section
___2.2 Act on behalf of the Chair in his/her absence or at his/her request
___2.3 Automatically assume Chair position and responsibilities in two years

3.0 Secretary
___3.1 Assist the Chair in functions of the Nursing Section
___3.2 Act on behalf of the Chair at his/her request
___3.3 Record minutes of meetings and telephone conferences
___3.4 Provide written report of Section activities to WADEM Board at least bi-annually
___3.5 Gather Section information for submission to Insight and Nursing Insight Editor

4.0 Standing Committees of the Nursing Section
___4.1 Membership Committee
_____4.1.1 Collaborate with WADEM membership office to identify and increase nursing involvement in the Section and in WADEM
___4.2 Education Committee
_____4.2.1 Collaborate with WADEM Program Committee to assure nursing representation on WCDEM program
_____4.2.2 Develop educational goals for the Nursing Section
_____4.2.3 Develop programs to train and assist nurses in use of the Utstein Guidelines
___4.3 Research Committee
_____4.3.1 Develop disaster nursing research goals
_____4.3.2 Coordinate Section disaster nursing research
_____4.3.3 Collaborate with other disaster nursing groups involved in research
___4.4 Information Systems Committee
_____4.4.1 Develop and maintain disaster nursing reference clearinghouse database on WADEM website
___4.5 Nominating Committee
_____4.5.1 Prepare a slate of candidates recommended for election at the biannual meeting

The first meeting of the Nursing Section of WADEM was convened during the 14th WCDEM in Edinburgh and administered jointly by the Nursing Section Founding Committee (WADEM nurse members Joanne McGlown, Elaine Daily, Patricia Padjen, Satoko Mitani and Paul Arbon). The members of this Founding Committee will also provide the leadership of this Section for the period 2005-2007.

A Nominating Committee, responsible for identifying individuals willing to serve in the proposed officer categories for 2007-2009 will be named during this meeting. All WADEM nurse members in good standing will be eligible for nomination. The first official slate of officers may include individuals from the Founding Committee or who otherwise voluntarily held positions during the start-up years of 2005-2007. Official voting for approved nominees will occur during the Section business meeting convened during the 15th WCDEM in Amsterdam in 2007.

It is proposed that the officers of the Nursing Section serve for a two-year period, upon which they may be re-nominated, by the Nominating Committee, to their positions for one additional 2 year period.

Founding Committee Members:

Joanne McGlown, RN, MHHA, CHE, PhD, USA
Elaine Daily RN, BS, FAHA, FCCM, USA
Paul Arbon, RN, PhD, Australia
Satoko Mitani RN, MS, Japan
Patricia Padjen RN, MBA, MS, PhD, USA

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