Travel nurses are always seeking ways to help out after a disaster. Preparation is crucial. Be prepared by signing up for the state disaster volunteer registry near you or where you are licensed. We’ve included state, national, and community organizations for your convenience. Additionally, please let us know if we’ve missed any agencies that need to be added.
REGISTER NOW!
If you hold a state license, get registered now as a state disaster volunteer. I recommend that you add this to your assignment arrival checklist so that you are ready to go as soon as your feet hit the ground!
Who is Eligible? In most states the following can register as healthcare volunteers
- Advanced practice registered nurses (nurse practitioners, certified nurse anesthetists, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurses specialists)
- Behavioral health professionals (marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, psychologists, and mental health counselors)
- Cardiovascular technologist and technicians
- Dentists
- Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics
- Licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses
- Medical and clinical laboratory technicians (includes phlebotomists)
- Medical and clinical laboratory technologists
- Medical records and health information technologists
- Pharmacists
- Physicians
- Physician assistants
- Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Registered nurses
- Respiratory therapists
- Veterinarians
Disaster Volunteer Registry State Agencies
The following list is of State-operated volunteer registries for disaster and/or emergency response. There are many other opportunities to volunteer with independent and national agencies. Please let us know if you find any broken links or if we’ve missed anything.
National Disaster Volunteer Organizations
In addition to State agencies, there are several National Agencies that you can pre-register with. These are national Government approved disaster volunteer organizations. Please let us know in the comments below if other government organizations should add to this list.
- Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals – US Department of Health & Human Services
- Medical Reserve Corp – Home
- National Citizen Corp
- National Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
Other Volunteer Organizations
Please let us know in the comments below if there are other non-governmental disaster volunteer organizations that we should add to this list.
- All Hands and Hearts Smart Response
- American Red Cross
- Brethren Disaster Ministries
- FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
- Habitat for Humanity
- Hope Worldwide
- Samaritan’s Purse
- SBP (originally called St. Bernard Project)
- Team Rubicon
- The Salvation Army
Additional Resources:
The Importance of Travel Nurses During a Natural Disaster
A Travel Nurse’s Unique Story of Surviving Hurricane Irma in the US Virgin Islands
Nurses Getting the Lights Back On
Finished the travel nursing guide and are ready to look for an assignment?
