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Communication and Crisis (Health Care Communication Strategies)

In 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor malfunctioned, releasing radiation into the environment. There were no immediate deaths or injuries resulting from the incident; however, the accident drew much media attention and created concerns in the local area and beyond. The major forms of communication used to report these events were the three major television networks and local radio stations.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area and immersed a significant part of the city in water. Local citizens and their families were affected. In contrast to the Three Mile Island incident, newer communication technologies, such as the Internet, were used to disseminate information.

Today, you are the director of a regional Emergency Management Office. You begin receiving official reports that the public water supplies of several towns in the area have become contaminated with a life-threatening biological agent. Contingency plans must be addressed within the organization and with the public without creating a panic.

Write a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper on essential communication in a community crisis situation described in the scenario.

Include the following in your paper.

• The individuals or groups that will be communicating inside and outside the organization during this crisis situation
• Potential advantages and challenges associated with communicating within the organization and with the public and private sectors during this crisis situation
• Differences in communication processes used in crisis situations, including what you learned from the situations in the scenario and how you might incorporate that knowledge to improve health care communication strategies
• Appropriate technology, such as social media, affecting communication during the crisis situation and how these technologies may be used to enhance communication
• How technology might be used differently now than it was during the crisis situations described in the scenario
• Media opportunities during this management crisis

Cite a minimum of three sources, one from the University Library and another from the course textbooks or Electronic Reserve Readings, to support your position.
Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.