Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN)
Boken Levees, Broken Lives:
Katrina's Healthcare Legacy
About RNRN and How to Join:
RNRN is a national network of direct-care RNs — powered by the California Nurses Association and the National Nurses Organizing Committee — that coordinates sending volunteer RNs to disaster stricken areas where and when they are needed most. RNRN was organized in 2005 when Katrina and Rita — two of the most destructive hurricanes in history — dramatically exposed America’s flawed disaster relief system. RNRN volunteers went to the devastated Gulf Coast to help provide care for the hundreds of thousands of people abandoned and without food, water, shelter, medical aid, nursing care, or even a basic evacuation plan. JOIN THE RNRN TODAY!
RNRN volunteers attend class in NOLA's 9th Ward at a home transformed into a volunteer RN-run health clinic.
Support our NOLA's Free Healthcare Clinics:
In the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, New Orleans continues to need our help, so we've organized a special RNRN project to answer the call. Please consider designating your contribution to this generous effort to rebuild communities in New Orleans.
Lower Ninth Ward Health Clinic — Families need access to primary healthcare. With no government effort to provide a local place for primary healthcare needs, residents established their own clinic in the donated home of a nurse who helps run the clinic. With a few volunteers, staff are providing free basic healthcare to the families returning to the community, but their needs are great. Treating a wide range of conditions, staff are also seeing many respiratory illnesses as a result of the flood. This small clinic is serving many families and children but needs more equipment and resources to better serve the community.
St. Bernard Parish — Children need a healthy learning environment. Before Katrina, there were 8,800 students attending 15 schools. The 4,000 students that have returned now crowd into two schools. More than 90 percent of them live in one-room FEMA trailers in substandard conditions where illnesses are rampant and recirculate. Families receive treatment at the one health facility that is open—a tent set up in a parking lot. Understandably, the children have both medical and emotional needs that the school nurses are trying to meet. Their ability to help is hampered by the loss of equipment and resources during the flood. Hugs only go so far!
Download the Katrina Aftermath Project flyer for details
Watch this video about our Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort in 2005
All You Magazine features Katrina Relief RNs "When Duty Called"
November 2006
CNA/NNOC Nurse Volunteers Deployed To Southern California Firestorm, October 2007 - Two contingents of volunteer RNs were deployed to shelters in San Diego County in response to an appeal from the San Diego Emergency Medical Services agency and RNRN’s own needs assessments done by staff in the field.
Registered Nurse Magazine features Wildfire Relief RNs "Trial by Fire"
November 2007
Will America be ready for the next disaster?
Download the RNRN brochure and share it with others!
News and Press Releases:
Monday May 7 - Nurses Ask: Does New Orleans Suffer from PTSD? - Local nurses sound public health alarm on conditions in city’s hospitals and clinics, long-term effect on residents, caregivers
Press Release 05/02/07
Survivors continue to face mental distress
Times Picayune 05/31/08
New Orleans Nurses Turn Home Into Clinic
Associated Press 01/13/08
Action Stirs In Face Of Wildfire Losses
The Business Press 11/05/07
CNA/NNOC Nurse Volunteers Deployed To Southern California Firestorm
Press Release 10/25/07
Reflections of Katrina Nurses: Hope and Resolve - National Nurses Group Continues Work to Prepare For Next Domestic Natural Disaster
Press Release 08/29/07
Nagin urges Congress to heal city's care crisis
Times Picayune 08/01/07
More Than Four in 10 Adults in New Orleans Report Worse Health Care Access Post-Katrina
Kaiser Family Foundation 07/31/07
New Orleans Recovery Is Slowed by Closed Hospitals
New York Times 07/24/07
Patchwork City: Road to New Life After Katrina Is Closed to Many
New York Times 07/12/07
Nurses tell of tattered health system - Access to care is still inadequate, they say
Times Picayune 05/08/07
Monday May 7 - Nurses Ask: Does New Orleans Suffer from PTSD? - Local nurses sound public health alarm on conditions in city’s hospitals and clinics, long-term effect on residents, caregivers
Press Release 05/02/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina - Cleveland RNs Form Disaster Relief Network - Local Nurses like Jonalea Neider volunteered in Louisiana and are looking for the next opportunity to help - Media Availability Thursday, May 3, Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Press Release 05/01/07
Clinic brings health care back to Lower 9th Ward *** Katrina devastated area, caused depopulation
The Advocate 04/02/07
Reflections of a Katrina nurse
The Courier-Journal 03/30/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina—St. Louis RNs Form Disaster Relief Network - Local nurses like Linda Trevethan volunteered in New Orleans and are looking for the next opportunity to help
Press Release 03/26/07
Nurses network to prevent future disasters like Hurricane Katrina
Washington Examiner 03/22/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina— D.C, Virginia & Maryland RNs Form Disaster Relief Network - Media Availability Wednesday, March 21, Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Press Release 03/19/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina— D.C, Virginia & Maryland RNs Form Disaster Relief Network - Media Availability Wednesday, March 21, Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Press Release 03/19/07
Nurses Band Together To Prevent Another Katrina
The Evening Bulletin 03/13/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina - Detroit RNs Form Disaster Relief Network - Local nurses like Diane Dengate volunteered in New Orleans—and are looking for the next opportunity to help – Media Availability Wednesday, March 14, Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Press Release 03/09/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina - Philadelphia Nurses Form Disaster Relief Network To Ensure that Pennsylvania and Nation Prepared for Next National Disaster - Media Availability Mon. Mar. 12, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m.
Press Release 03/09/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina - Chicago RNs Form Disaster Relief Network - Local Nurses Volunteered in the Gulf--But May Be Needed Next in Cook County if Public Health System is Decimated - Media Availability Tuesday March 6, Noon to 1:00 P.M.
Press Release 03/02/07
Free health clinic opening to help Lower 9 come back - Volunteers, donors make service possible
Times Picayune 03/02/07
Registered Nurses Join In Emergency Response Network
Oregon Public Broadcasting 02/05/07
Nursing group ready to send volunteers to scenes of disaster
Rocky Mountain News 02/08/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina Portland RNs Join New Disaster Response Network - Media Availability with Local Nurses Monday, Feb. 5, Noon to 1:00 P.M.
Press Release 02/01/07
Nurses take next step with national disaster organization
Star-Telegram 01/22/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina Dallas RNs Join New Disaster Response Network - Media Availability Wed. Jan 24, Noon to 1 P.M.
Press Release 01/19/07
Motivated by Hurricane Katrina Houston RNs Join New Disaster Response Network - Media Availability Monday Jan. 22, 12 Noon to 1 P.M.
Press Release 01/17/07
AllYou Magazine features Katrina Relief RNs "When Duty Called"
AllYou Magazine November 2006
Nurses prepare disaster response - CNA builds fund for RN network
East Bay Business Journal 09/01/06
Nurses launch national disaster response network - Oakland-based union wants to plan ahead, rather than organize efforts 'after the fact'
Oakland Tribune 08/28/06
Emotional connections: Nurses find mission to Gulf changed their lives
Vallejo Times Herald 08/28/06
Motivated by Katrina - National RN Response Network Launches
Press Release 08/25/06
Testimonials from RNRN Volunteers:
“I was deployed to South Cameron Memorial Hospital, a very small hospital right on the Gulf. The hospital was quickly overwhelmed with evacuees from New Orleans and surrounding parishes. We provided the entire nursing staff for the evacuation shelter and clinic that was opened up in a closed wing of the hospital. The RN overseeing the ER and the shelter had been working for 21 days without a day off until we arrived.”
— Bonnie Martin, RN, NP
CNA Board of Directors
Lodi, California
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“I tried to volunteer with at least half a dozen relief agencies who said they needed nurses in the region without success. It was a matter of days after contacting CNA/NNOC that I arrived in my assigned hospital in Baton Rouge. The hospital was in dire need of nurses as a result of getting the bulk of medical evacuees from New Orleans, which resulted in a doubling of their census overnight. Ten minutes after my arrival, I had a nursing license in Louisiana, changed into scrubs, and went to work.”
— Diane Dengate, RN
Detroit, Michigan
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“The people of the Gulf Coast left a life changing impression on me. Their lack of healthcare in normal conditions is a national tragedy. Many of the people there had never seen a doctor before the hurricane. Years of untreated chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension put the evacuees at much greater risk.”
— Shirley Usher, RN
Los Angeles, California
Don't Delay, Join RNRN Today!
By joining RNRN today, you will help better prepare America for the next disaster where ever it may strike — be it a hurricane, earthquake, tornado, tsunami, flood, other major emergency where volunteer RNs are needed for hands-on care. Don't delay, join RNRN today!
