CU Nursing - Commencement December 2020 - 2

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BY THE NUMBERS
99 Undergraduate
Nursing Students

G R A D U AT I O N &
C O N V O C AT I O N
DECEMBER 2020

110 Master's
14 Post-Graduate
Certificates
23 DNP
7 PhD

C O M M E M O R AT I V E E D I T I O N

Hurricanes,
Typhoons, and
Natural Disasters

L

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES, WHO YOU GONNA
CALL? LAUREN LEDFORD By Dana Brandorff

auren Ledford's interest in natural disaster
response began with a five-week search and
rescue-training course in Colorado, and a stint
coordinating an international program with
pre-med students to Nicaragua. In 2012, a
super typhoon hit the Philippines. Everything
changed for Ledford when she was asked to
pull together a team from her program to help respond.
One team was devoted to body recovery and
immunizations; the second ran the emergency department
at the hospital. " As an EMT, I was at the bottom rung of the
disaster medical team, " said Ledford. However, she brought
a unique set of skills - the ability to coordinate and organize
- and deployed as part of the second team. " I was hooked.
It was incredible to see the international response, a unified
command with one purpose, and all the organizations
coming together to respond to a humanitarian crisis, " she
recalled. In those situations, powerful friendships form,
making it hard to say goodbye.
During that first deployment, she developed a passion
for the medical piece and knew if she was going to
continue to be part of a response team she would need
more medical knowledge. After a year of training, she
became a paramedic and worked for Denver Health for four
years. Currently, Ledford works for Swedish Medical Center
in its emergency department. " Becoming a paramedic was

CU College of Nursing | December 2020

Ledford helping treat patients during Team Rubicon's response to
earthquakes in Ecuador.
Courtesy of Jonathan E. Davis with Team Rubicon.

the fastest way to get more medical
training, " said Ledford.

SERVING WITH TEAM RUBICON
She followed her Philippines
experience with responses to
earthquakes in Nepal and Ecuador with
Team Rubicon - a national disaster
response organization that unites the
skills of military veterans with civilian
first responders. Providing all services
free of charge, Team Rubicon focuses
on serving vulnerable and at-risk
populations affected by disaster.
According to Ledford, there is one
thing you can guarantee in a disaster
zone - babies come regardless.
" Almost every operation I've been on,
we've delivered babies. Disaster teams
end up with emergency response
skills and not a lot of specialties - like
obstetrics, " said Ledford.

Even though Ledford is a
paramedic, she knew she had more
to learn and that more education
was necessary to continue to serve
as part of an international response
team. " Paramedics aren't widely
utilized in international medical
circles, " she said. Consequently,
she enrolled in CU Nursing's
Accelerated Nursing program.
Along with completing the program
in December, Ledford is anxiously
waiting to respond to another natural
disaster. " I'm starting to get a little
antsy. If it weren't for clinicals that I
have to complete right now, I'd be in
Nicaragua helping with Hurricane Eta
response, " she said.
With her sights set on eventually
pursuing a nurse-midwifery degree
down the road, she is sure to be a
major asset on any response team.
CU Nursing - Commencement December 2020

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