Mental health nurses' disaster nursing competencies: A cross-sectional study

Psychometric properties of the Farsi version of the Disaster Nursing Readiness Evaluation Index (F-DNREI)

BACKGROUND

Considering the vital role of nurses in responding to disasters, it is essential to measure their readiness with a valid and reliable tool. The present study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Farsi version of the Disaster Nursing Readiness Evaluation Index (F-DNREI).

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2023 and 2024 among 200 nurses working at educational hospitals affiliated with one of the medical universities in Tehran, Iran. The Disaster Nursing Readiness Evaluation Index was translated into Persian. The face, content, and construct validity, as well as internal consistency, were analyzed.

RESULTS

In the exploratory factor analysis, five factors were extracted: practical skills for disaster response, adaptability to stressful situations at the disaster site, communication and cooperation skills for teamwork, emergency nursing skills, and effective coping with daily stress. Together, these factors accounted for 39.7% of the total variance. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the extracted model fit well: CMIN/DF = 1.519, CFI = 0.889, RMSEA = 0.051. The Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega coefficients for the entire questionnaire were 0.890 and 0.891, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Given that Iran is frequently exposed to disasters, it becomes essential to assess the preparedness of Iranian nurses using a valid and reliable scale. The availability of the Farsi version of the Disaster Nursing Readiness Evaluation Index (F-DNREI), which has undergone validation and reliability testing, facilitates accurate measurement of this concept.

Disaster preparedness perceptions and psychological first-aid competencies of psychiatric nurses

AIM

This study aimed to determine the disaster preparedness perceptions and psychological first-aid competencies of psychiatric nurses.

BACKGROUND

Nurses must recognize the risks before a disaster occurs and have an action plan for providing effective physical and psychological care to patients and other affected individuals during and after the disaster. It is especially important for psychiatric nurses caring for a high-risk group, such as psychiatric patients, to be prepared for disasters and be able to support patients by recognizing the psychological reactions that may occur after a disaster and managing their care accordingly.

METHODS

For this cross-sectional and correlational study, data on 122 nurses were collected using a personal information form, the preparedness perception scale of disaster in nurses, and the psychological first-aid application self-efficacy scale.

RESULTS

The mean score for the participants' perception of overall disaster preparedness was 76.70 ± 8.30, the mean score for the preparation stage was 27.02 ± 2.82, the mean score for the intervention stage was 30.40 ± 5.15, the mean score for the post-disaster stage was 19.27 ± 2.88, and the mean score for psychological first-aid application self-efficacy was 140.28 ± 19.17.

CONCLUSION

The findings showed that psychiatric nurses were above the medium level in terms of disaster preparedness perceptions and psychological first-aid application self-efficacy.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

It is important for nurses caring for high-risk groups, such as psychiatric patients, to be aware of disaster preparedness, to recognize psychological reactions that may be observed after a disaster, and to be aware of psychological first-aid practices that can be used to intervene in a disaster.

Disaster preparedness among nurses in disaster-prone countries: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Disaster preparedness is crucial for mitigating the impact of disasters and saving lives. Ensuring preparedness for disaster response and management, particularly among nurses in disaster-prone countries, is essential due to the serious threats disasters pose to affected populations. This study was conducted to appraise and synthesize the literature examining preparedness for disaster management and response among nurses in countries with the highest disaster risks.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature published from 2000 onwards was conducted using five databases: SCOPUS, PubMed, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and CINAHL. Twenty-one relevant articles were identified for this review.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that nurses in countries at high risk of disasters had inadequate disaster knowledge and skills, leaving them ill-prepared to respond to such situations. Previous experience in disaster relief, disaster-related education and training, and higher academic qualifications were associated with increased readiness for disaster response and management.

CONCLUSION

The review's findings provide insight into the current state of disaster preparedness among nurses in disaster-prone nations. The review identified evidence highlighting the value of disaster-related education and training, as well as disaster response experience, in fostering preparedness among nurses. These results can inform policymakers, hospital administrators, and nurse administrators in developing strategies for promoting disaster preparedness in nurses through evidence-based training programs and interventions.

Nurses' challenges for disaster response: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Healthcare providers, particularly nurses, play a critical role in mitigating the impact of disasters on victims and the healthcare system. However, nurses face unique challenges in disasters that may not experience in their daily practice, which can make it harder for them to deal with disasters efficiently. This study aimed to investigate the challenges faced by nurses for disaster response.

METHODS

A qualitative content analysis approach was used in this study. Purposeful sampling was used to select 24 nurses working in the emergency departments of hospitals in Kerman, southeastern Iran. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using MAXQDA10. The conventional content analysis method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

The analysis of the findings resulted in one major category, insufficient ability of nurses to respond to disasters, and five subcategories: diverse nursing conditions during disasters, inappropriate interactive platform during disasters, the presence of obstacles to teamwork, lack of platform for nurses to acquire adequate disaster risk management competence, and moral tension in complex disaster situations.

CONCLUSIONS

Determining the challenges that nurses face during disasters is essential for improving disaster response efforts, promoting disaster preparedness, ensuring appropriate care for patients, and reducing emotional fatigue among nurses. Finally, nursing leaders, healthcare policymakers and governments should use these findings to better support the nursing workforce in disasters.

Common domains of nurses' competencies in public health emergencies: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

A public health emergency can cause large numbers of deaths in a short period, with devastating social, economic and health consequences. Nurses are the main healthcare providers during such emergencies, and their competencies affect the control and outcomes of the situation. Studies on nurses' competencies in public health emergencies vary between countries and healthcare systems. Therefore, we conducted a scoping review to identify the common domains of nurses' competencies in public health emergencies worldwide.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, CINHAL, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Embase, Cochrane Library, WanFang and ECRI databases from their inception to 2023. All published articles on nurses' competencies in public health emergencies that were published in English and Chinese were included. We mainly analyzed and synthesized nurses' competencies, assessment instruments and the training described in the included studies.

RESULTS

A total of 27 competency domains were identified following an analysis and summary. The most frequently cited domains were communication skills, self-protection skills, basic knowledge of a public health emergency, laws and ethics and the capacity for organizational collaboration. The Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool and the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire were the most commonly used tools for assessing competencies. Most training was conducted online and the content that was covered varied by country.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the significant roles and responsibilities of nurses in public health emergencies, knowing the domains of their competencies is essential to evaluating, developing, and conducting clinical training.

Disaster nursing competencies of rural nurses during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study: Disaster nursing competencies

Background

Although rural nurses’ roles are indispensable in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) management, increased roles, workload, burnout, and reduced job satisfaction can hinder their work, potentially affecting nurses’ disaster nursing competencies.

Aim

The aim of the study was to identify the predictors of rural nurses’ disaster nursing competencies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Nurses from rural community hospitals in South Korea (N=204) were surveyed during June–July 2021. We used the Professional Quality of Life and Disaster Nursing Preparedness-Response Competencies questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of disaster nursing competencies.

Findings

The mean score for disaster nursing competency of the 204 participants was 110.80 (standard deviation=19.14). Disaster nursing competencies correlated with age, nursing career, compassion satisfaction, and secondary traumatic stress. Compassion satisfaction (β=.27, P=.004), prior disaster nursing education (β=.19, P=.005), and prior participation in disaster nursing care (β=.16, P=.022) predicted disaster nursing competencies, together accounting for 24.2% of the variance.

Discussion

Our findings imply that increasing opportunities for continuing education regarding disaster nursing is crucial to enhance the related competencies in rural nurses. This study also highlights the necessity for stakeholders to develop programs aimed at increasing rural nurses’ compassion satisfaction.

Conclusion

Prior disaster nursing education, prior participation in disaster nursing care, and compassion satisfaction predicted disaster nursing competencies among rural nurses, with compassion satisfaction being the strongest predictor.

Analysis of the Effectiveness of Nursing Interventions in Critically Ill Patients in Respiratory Medicine

OBJECTIVE

To enhance and analyze the clinical effectiveness of implementing quality nursing interventions in the clinical care of critically ill patients in respiratory medicine.

METHODS

Clinical data of respiratory medicine patients treated in our hospital over the years were collected and 96 patients who met the requirements of the purpose of this study and the sample inclusion criteria were selected as the study subjects from the patients treated between April 2019 and January 2020. According to the care methods received by the patients in our hospital, 48 of them who implemented conventional care were used as the control group, and another 48 patients who were given quality care interventions were used as the observation group. The data were statistically recorded and comparatively analyzed for the indicators such as nursing oxygen index, heart rate, and clinical treatment efficiency of patients in both groups.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, patients in the observation group who received quality nursing intervention had more significant improvement in blood oxygen index and heart rate after nursing care; the clinical treatment efficiency of patients in the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (95.83% vs. 81.25%). The data comparison between the groups showed a significant difference, P < 0.05, which was statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

Adding quality nursing interventions to the implementation of conventional care for patients with respiratory diseases can better improve patients' clinical symptoms, accelerate their clinical recovery, improve and enhance prognosis, and further improve clinical outcomes.