Ten-fold expansion of a burn unit in mass casualty: how to recruit the nursing staff.

The first hours after a mass casualty event (MCE) are critical for the care of injured patients, especially for those with major burns. Burn patients are best treated in a specialized unit, however, transfer may not always be practical or possible. If transfer is not an option, hospitals need to find another solution to provide safe, effective, and efficient care. A critical element in providing burn care is to have a sufficient number of capable trained nurses. The Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel evaluated past experience and has developed an innovative and comprehensive plan to provide treatment for a large influx of burn patients. The plan allows the 15-bed burn unit to expand and treat up to 136 burn victims, uses supplementary personnel, and allocates hospital beds and equipment as needed. This article describes the educational program that is used to prepare supplemental nurses.