Nursing and Hospital Management after the Fukushima Disaster Involving Earthquake, Tsunami, and Accident of the Nuclear Power Plant

2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24792383
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Fundamental nursing
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: KODAMA Yuko 東京大学, 医科学研究所, 特任研究員 (70336121)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
• Keywords: 東日本大震災 / 災害看護 / 原子力発電所事故

Research Abstract

I investigated situations of medical services for the first 10 days after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FNPP) accident in Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital, located 23 km north of FNPP and within the evacuation preparation zone. Any means of communication as well as medical and food supplies and manpower were unavailable except for Self-Defense Force. Hospitals close to the plant may easily be isolated and be difficult to provide medical care due to shortage of manpower and medical resources. In addition, it was found that whether nurses of the hospital quit their job or not after the nuclear accident depended on their partner's jobs, and the damages of their houses. To continue hospital activities, it is important to maintenance living environment of hospital staff including nurses.