From the first world war to more recent disasters, such as the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the importance of integrating rehabilitation into emergency responses to conflicts and disasters has been clear. To help meet this need, the World Health Organization (WHO) has worked alongside a number of organizations to support the development of a field handbook and eLearning modules on "Early Rehabilitation in Conflicts and Disasters".  

Newly published WHO field handbook and instructional videos now freely available ​

This field handbook, the outcome of a highly collaboration process among key international organizations and experts, is an invaluable resource for rehabilitation professionals preparing to work in conflict and disaster response. It has the potential to have a major impact on the care that people injured in conflicts and disasters receive and will go far to ensuring they achieve the outcomes that enable them to return to work, school and community life.

"It is so important that rehabilitation be addressed in times of crisis." ​

ARN Board Director Maureen Musto, MS RN APRN-CNS ACNS-BC CRRN was appointed to the WHO Development Group for Traumatic Brain Injury and Parkinson's Disease earlier this year. This carefully selected group of clinicians from the world is working to develop a WHO Package of Rehabilitation Interventions. Learn more about Maureen's WHO role >

Maureen's connection to WHO helped inform ARN and its members of this early rehabilitation in conflicted and disasters resource. "It is so important the rehabilitation be addressed in times of crisis," wrote Maureen in a Member Circle discussion. View the Member Circle discussion >

Free online trainings

A free online training accompanies the field handbook and is designed to help rehabilitation professionals preparing to work in conflict and disaster response. Sign up for your free DisasterReady account and log in to access the free training.