The International Nursing Coalition for Mass Casualty Education (INCMCE) is
coordinated by Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. It was founded in response to
recognition of the need for nurses to be more adequately prepared to respond to mass
casualty events.
The first meeting was called by Dr. Colleen Conway-Welch, Dean Vanderbilt University
School of Nursing in March, 2001. That first meeting was attended by nursing top leaders
from academics, government, the military and specialty organizations. The membership
has grown from those initial beginnings to a consortium representing more than 80
organizational members and affiliates from the United States and Europe.
The purpose of the International Nursing Coalition for Mass Casualty Education
(INCMCE) is to facilitate the systematic development of policies related to mass casualty
events as they influence the public health infrastructure and impact on nursing practice,
education, research and regulation.
The INCMCE is currently focusing in several areas: 1) increasing awareness of all nurses
about mass casualty events; 2) leadership to the nursing profession for the development of
knowledge and expertise related to mass casualty education; 3) dissemination of
competencies for nurses at academic and continuing education levels; 4) establishment of
a clearinghouse of information and web links for professional development of nurses; and
5) input into policy development related to nursing practice, education and research at the
governmental and institutional levels.
Since the INCMCE is organizationally based, it builds on the strength of all its members
and their respective constituencies. These constituencies include many nurses possessing
extensive expertise in mass casualties, mass casualty education and weapons of mass
destruction. These nurses and the subject matter experts participate in the identification
and presentation of content and the development of related materials used in
interdisciplinary training initiatives. As part of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center,
the INCMCE also draws from the significant research, clinical practice and teaching
expertise of nationally and internationally recognized faculty in a variety of related
disciplines.