In this project, we describe the experience of utilizing six AmeriCorps volunteers deployed to an urban, coastal city over a six-week period in 2011 to assist with a CBDP needs assessment survey and pre-deployment disaster training of health care personnel. Volunteer accomplishments included (1) a regional database of care providers to identify optimal emergency preparedness training (EPT) distribution, (2) an EPT assessment survey to gauge current care provider disaster preparedness, and (3) a high-fidelity EPT training demonstration project in the university's human simulation center. In contrast to their more traditional roles of response and recovery, we believe that we have demonstrated a model of how volunteers can be utilized to support CBDP mitigation and planning stages of disaster. We hope the volunteers' experiences, goals, mission and accomplishments documented here can be used as a potential model that may enhance CBDP activities around the nation.

A patient with diabetes mellitus who had recently been started on peritoneal dialysis presented with headaches, confusion, falling episodes, and multiple white matter abnormalities affecting the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes on MRI of the brain. He developed stupor and frequent seizures despite control of hypertension with intravenous nicardipine. Diagnosis of atypical PRES and institution of successful empiric therapy was based on electronic searches (Google and MEDLINE) facilitated by verbal communication between and among the specialists involved in his care.

The addition of spironolactone to the combination of an ACE inhibitor, and ARB, and a direct renin inhibitor brought about dramatic and sustained reversal of 4-plus proteinuria in a patient with diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Spironolactone may be a valuable addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for such patients, with the caveat that the spironolactone dose should be increased gradually and with frequent monitoring of the serum potassium level.