Nursing students serve as part of UHM interdisciplinary student team in the HI-EMA Community Care Unit to collaborate and identify pandemic needs

University of Hawaii at Manoa students and faculty in the health and social sciences came together as an interdisciplinary team to respond as part of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) Community Care Unit in the summer of 2020. The team was established under the HI-EMA Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF-8), and focused on public health and medical services. Under ESF-8, a Community Care and Outreach unit, led by Dr. Kristine Qureshi, was established with a goal of identifying vulnerable populations and articulating their social needs. The team conducted a statewide survey aimed at assessing capacity, needs, and threats to agencies that provide health and social services in support of the state’s vulnerable populations.

Two UH Manoa Nursing students served as part of this team: Kira Oyama and Chelsea Emma Apo. Their efforts were featured in the February 2021 issue of the Hawaii Journal of Health and Social Welfare. The authors describe the results of the team effort and profile the learning experiences of student team members. Oyama, a graduate nursing student in population health and registered nurse in the intensive care unit at the Queen’s Health Center in Honolulu, describes how she was able to develop data collecting and analysis skills while enhancing communication abilities. Apo, a graduate nursing student with a background in acute care nursing and public health, discusses how she was able to combine skills from nursing and public health to work with professionals from various disciplines in the community.

For more information about the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA) Community Care Unit contact Kristine Qureshi, associate dean for research and global health at kqureshi@hawaii.edu.