We’ve all seen the movies and TV shows—one small cough leads to the spread of a virus, which turns to a pandemic. It’s a zombie outbreak. Often we watch these shows and smirk, because this could never really happen, right?

But—if it did happen, do we really have what it takes to survive? In a disaster, like a zombie apocalypse, it’s important to stay humble and have a knowledgeable person with crisis experience to help you out. Here are some reasons to have a nurse on your team if zombies come after you.

How Nurses Will Save Us All from a Zombie Apocalypse

They really know their stuff.

In zombie movies, there are a few different ways you can become a zombie. A zombie infection usually happens through a bite wound or from infected zombie blood getting in through an open wound. Regardless, it most often occurs from the transmission of bodily fluids. Understanding infection is the key to survival, and nobody knows more about infection than nurses. Nurses are exposed to blood and bodily fluid transmission dangers regularly and therefore know the protocols to avoid being infected.

They receive special training.

Nurses are smart—there’s no denying that—but additionally, they have special training in population health. Recently, the U.S. Department of Defense implemented an online course to teach military nurses about viral outbreaks. There are actually governmental guidelines in place for a zombie apocalypse, so nurses already know how to react should a public health crisis arise. The class outlines key theories, and teams re-enact what they learn through online scenarios, starting with a small group of employees and working their way up to the population of a whole country.

They have the golden ticket.

In addition to a viral outbreak, zombies can wreak some physical havoc. A big decline in your zombie survival chances could be largely due to not stockpiling the right meds or, worse, running out of daily medical supplies altogether. Need wound care supplies? Nurses have you covered. What about allergy meds or vaccinations? Nurses are well-versed in the right medications to use and probably have access to supplies for any physical injury you may get while running for your life.

They know it’s not exactly like the movies.

Circling back to their population health training, nobody has a better grasp on problem-solving or multitasking than nurses. They are the calm in the storm, as they deal with real crises every day. They know what could be a real disaster and what is put in the movies just for fun. Plus, they can handle a lot of situations that make the rest of us a bit squeamish or emotionally uncomfortable. Not everybody has the stomach to deal with bodily fluids, infections and emotional behavior all at once.

When it comes down to it, nurses have the upper hand. They have the training, skills and medical goodies to keep calm in crisis. The next time you’re being chased by a group of zombies, seek out a nurse to help you survive the pack.

Do you have the need for some knowledgeable, talented nurses with zombie-fighting skills?