Disaster preparedness among Hong Kong nurses

Experiences of Nurses Providing Care to Individuals in Earthquake-Affected Areas of Eastern Turkey: A Phenomenological Study

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to examine the experiences of nurses who provide care to individuals in earthquake-affected areas of eastern Turkey.

DESIGN

A phenomenological design from qualitative research methods was utilized in this study.

METHODS

The study was conducted between May 29, 2023, and August 15, 2023, with 11 nurses working in the western region of Turkey's provinces through one-on-one semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted online and recorded on video. Content analysis was performed using the MAXQDA software package.

FINDINGS

Themes and sub-themes were identified from the expressions of nurses in line with research findings. Accordingly, 5 themes were determined for nurses providing care to individuals in the earthquake. zone: "challenges they face,""emotions they felt,""coping methods,""knowledge and skills"and "effects of earthquake".

CONCLUSION

The results obtained from this study demonstrated that nurses experienced difficulties due to environmental (hygiene, cold weather, shelter) and work-related (lack of coordination, psychosocial issues) conditions during the earthquake event. While providing care to individuals in earthquake-affected areas of eastern Turkey, nurses reported feelings of sadness, inadequacy, anxiety, and fear. They employed coping methods such as talking to family/friends, attempting not to dwell on thoughts, and turning to religious practices to manage these negative emotions. Nurses emphasized the necessity of having professional knowledge and crisis management skills to care for individuals during the earthquake period. In accordance with the findings of the research, it is recommended that nurses are provided with realistic training through simulations and drills in disaster management, as well as psychological support interventions.

Earthquake Experiences of Nursing Students Residing in Earthquake Zone, the Disaster of the Century: A Qualitative Study

This study was carried out to examine the experiences of nursing department students regarding earthquakes with a phenomenological approach. The type of research is phenomenological research, one of the qualitative research methods. The research was carried out with 22 nursing students who experienced the earthquake in the Turkey earthquake on February 6, 2023. The data were collected using the "Semi-Structured Interview Form". In this study, "earthquake experience" was discussed as a phenomenon, and the data obtained from the phenomenon after content analysis were evaluated in five themes as follows: Experiences during the earthquake, experiences after the earthquake, search-rescue operations, social support and daily life after the earthquake. It was seen that they acted with the instinct of protection during the earthquake and then tried to shelter and communicate. The study reveal that the disaster preparedness and competencies of nursing students should be increased.

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.

Preparedness of Iranian nurses against COVID-19: An analytical study

Background and Aims

The reasons for the unfavorable performance of hospitals in providing care to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients include the lack of preparation, knowledge, and relevant skills, making it necessary to evaluate the preparedness of nurses to respond to COVID-19. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the preparedness of hospitals affiliated with Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022.

Methods

In this analytical study, data were collected from 350 randomly selected nurses who worked in three hospitals affiliated with Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences; demographic information tools and the preparation of nurses for COVID-19 patients were used to collect the data. We analyzed the data using SPSS software version 26.

Results

The mean and standard deviation of the total preparation score was 118.85 ± 0.98. The lowest (6.80 ± 0.18) and highest (23.35 ± 0.19) average values belonged to risk assessment and management and COVID-19, respectively. The score of nurses' preparedness to deal with COVID-19 was not statistically correlated with age, work experience, and so on. The average preparation score was significantly different in different treatment departments (operating room and COVID-19).

Conclusion

The preparation of nurses was low in dealing with COVID-19. Thus, managers of nursing services should design and implement educational programs to strengthen the nurses' weaknesses and ultimately increase their awareness and skills in dealing with disasters.

Determinants of nurses' readiness for disaster response: A cross-sectional study

Reducing the impacts of disasters is imperative in these times when disasters continually threaten people's lives. Given that the readiness for disaster response of nurses are essential in mitigating damage, however, studies on the determinants of nurses' readiness for disaster response remain inconclusive and require further research, especially with various populations. This study therefore aimed to investigate factors associated with readiness for disaster response among Taiwanese hospital nurses. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 365 eligible and registered nurses at a medical centre in northern Taiwan. The Readiness for Disaster Responses Scale including four subscales: personal preparedness, self-protection, emergency response, and clinical management were used for assessment. Analyses were performed using multiple linear regression models. Our study results showed that the length of nursing work was positively associated with nurses' readiness for disaster responses (β = 0.28, p < .001). Nurses with a master's degree and working in intensive care units or emergency rooms had higher readiness for disaster responses (β = 0.13, p = .032; β = 0.14, p = .024) than those with a bachelor's degree and working in other units/specialties (i.e., outpatient department, operating rooms, etc.). Furthermore, nurses with previous disaster training were associated with greater readiness for disaster responses (β = 0.24, p < .001). This study findings indicate that the identified determinants of hospital nurses' readiness for disaster responses can be taken into consideration in the future recruiting of nurses for deployment to disaster response assistance and the designing of disaster training programmes specifically for nurses.

Are Nurses Ready for a Disaster in Turkey? A Hospital Case

OBJECTIVE

In Turkey, which is a land of disasters, it is vital for nurses to be prepared before a disaster, and to exhibit an effective attitude and behavior during it. Having a large number of casualties during a disaster may cause inadequacies in receiving basic health care in the hospital.

METHODS

This study was conducted in a descriptive and cross-sectional style to determine the disaster preparedness and preparedness perceptions of nurses. Data were collected with the Personal Information Form and Nurses' Perception of Disaster Preparedness Scale (NPDPS).

RESULTS

Nurses' disaster experience, drill experience, and perusal of the disaster plan positively affected the perception of disaster. The disaster preparedness of the institution positively affected the perception of disaster preparation. A significant difference was determined between the requests for information regarding disaster education and NPDPS. A statistically significant relationship was found between terrorist attacks, earthquake exposure, and the total scale score of NPDPS.

CONCLUSIONS

Consequently, nurses and health institutions, whose responsibilities become graver in disasters, have duties such as providing treatment and medical support. Therefore, it was suggested that disaster nursing and disaster management should have been included in the in-service training of nurses.

Determinants of health volunteer training in natural hazard management in Iran

Both natural and man-made dangers cause bodily harm, as well as social, economic and environmental harm. In order to minimise the complications of these threats, proper training and preparedness are crucial. The purpose of this study was to look at the factors that affect how well-trained healthcare volunteers are for natural hazards in Iran. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach, a systematic review of literature on the factors influencing the training of healthcare volunteers in natural hazard published between 2010 and 2020 was conducted. The Google Scholar search engine, PubMed (Medline and Central), Science Direct and Web of Science databases were searched using both individual and combined key phrases. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology checklist was used to select and evaluate 592 observational and quasi-experimental articles. Finally, the study comprised 24 papers that satisfied the research criteria and made good use of good technique, sample size and adequate tools for validity and reliability. The most useful variables for disaster preparedness were job self-efficacy, strategic decision-making and quality of work-life, job performance, job motivation, knowledge, awareness and health literacy.

Contribution

To avoid calamity, a thorough training program is required. Therefore, the most crucial objectives for health education specialists are to identify the factors that determine disaster preparedness, train volunteers and provide fundamental techniques to reduce natural dangers.

Comparison of the Level of Disaster Preparedness Between Private and Government Hospitals in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to describe and compare almost all the components of disaster preparedness between private and government hospitals in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, using the World Health Organization's (WHO) checklist.

METHODS

We assessed and compared the disaster preparedness between government and private hospitals in Province, using the 10-key component WHO checklist in a descriptive cross-sectional study. Of 72 hospitals in the region, 63 responded to the survey.

RESULTS

All 63 hospitals had an HDP plan and reported having a multidisciplinary HDP committee. In all responding hospitals, HDP was acceptable in most indicators of preparedness; however, some hospitals to some extent fell short of preparedness in surge capacity, equipment and logistic services, and post-disaster recovery. Government and private hospitals were generally comparable in disaster preparedness. However, government hospitals were more likely to have HDP plans that cover WHO's "all-hazard" approach, both internal and external disasters, compared to private hospitals.

CONCLUSION

HDP was acceptable, however, preparedness in surge capacity, equipment and logistic services, and post-disaster recovery fell short. Government and private hospitals were comparable in preparedness with regards to all indicators except surge capacity, post-disaster recovery, and availability of some equipment.

Factors Influencing Hospitals' Disaster Preparedness in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to identify the factors that influence the disaster preparedness of hospitals and validate an evaluation framework to assess hospital disaster preparedness (HDP) capability in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of all hospitals (n = 72) in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia was conducted. A factor analysis method was used to identify common factors and validate the evaluation framework to assess HDP capacity.

RESULTS

Sixty-three (63) hospitals responded to the survey. A 3-factor structure was identified as key predicators of HDP capacity. The first factor was the most highly weighted factor, which included education and training (0.849), monitoring and assessing HDP (0.723), disaster planning (0.721), and command and control (0.713). The second factor included surge capacity (0.708), triage system (0.844), post-disaster recovery (0.809), and communication (0.678). The third factor represented safety and security (0.638) as well as logistics, equipment, and supplies (0.766).

CONCLUSION

The identified 3-factor structure provides an innovative approach to assist the operationalization of the concept of HDP capacity building and service improvement, as well as serve as a groundwork to further develop instrument for assessing HDP in future studies.

Assessment of disaster preparedness and related impact factors among emergency nurses in tertiary hospitals: descriptive cross-sectional study from Henan Province of China

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the current state of disaster preparedness and to determine associated factors among emergency nurses from tertiary hospitals in Henan Province of China.

Methods

This multicenter descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with emergency nurses from 48 tertiary hospitals in Henan Province of China between September 7, 2022-September 27, 2022. Data were collected through a self-designeds online questionnaire using the mainland China version of the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool (DPET-MC). Descriptive analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate disaster preparedness and to determine factors affecting disaster preparedness, respectively.

Results

A total of 265 emergency nurses in this study displayed a moderate level of disaster preparedness with a mean item score of 4.24 out 6.0 on the DPET-MC questionnaire. Among the five dimensions of the DPET-MC, the mean item score for pre-disaster awareness was highest (5.17 ± 0.77), while that for disaster management (3.68 ± 1.36) was the lowest. Female gender (B = -9.638, p = 0.046) and married status (B = -8.618, p = 0.038) were negatively correlated with the levels of disaster preparedness. Five factors positively correlated with the levels of disaster preparedness included having attended in the theoretical knowledge training of disaster nursing since work (B = 8.937, p = 0.043), having experienced the disaster response (B = 8.280, p = 0.036), having participated in the disaster rescue simulation exercise (B = 8.929, p = 0.039), having participated in the disaster relief training (B = 11.515, p = 0.025), as well as having participated in the training of disaster nursing specialist nurse (B = 16.101, p = 0.002). The explanatory power of these factors was 26.5%.

Conclusion

Emergency nurses in Henan Province of China need more education in all areas of disaster preparedness, especially disaster management, which needs to be incorporated into nursing education, including formal and ongoing education. Besides, blended learning approach with simulation-based training and disaster nursing specialist nurse training should be considered as novel ways to improve disaster preparedness for emergency nurses in mainland China.

The effect of the demonstration-based progressive muscle relaxation technique on stress and anxiety in nurses caring for COVID-19 patients: a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Caring for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) challenges nurses and causes them to experience stress and anxiety. From this perspective, it is of utmost importance to develop quick and effective intervention strategies to prevent numerous complications. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the progressive muscle relaxation technique, using the demonstration method on the stress and anxiety of nurses who care for COVID-19 patients.

METHODS

This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 2021. Forty-six nurses working in two referral hospitals with wards for COVID-19 patients in Tehran, Iran recruited by convenience sampling method and then randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. The nurses in the experimental group educated the progressive muscle relaxation by the demonstration method, and they were encouraged to practice it. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 was utilized to measure the stress and anxiety levels in the nurses.

RESULTS

Before the intervention, the levels of stress in the experimental and control groups were 13.91 ± 2.41 vs. 14.34 ± 2.74 (p = 0.571), and their anxiety was 13.34 ± 3.41 vs. 12.78 ± 2.21 (p = 0.510), respectively. After the intervention, the levels of stress in the experimental and control groups were 10.95 ± 2.01 vs. 14.17 ± 2.34 (p < 0.001), and their anxiety was 9.47 ± 2.37 vs. 12.91 ± 1.85 (p < 0.001), respectively. Moreover, the levels of stress and anxiety in the experimental group significantly diminished after intervention (p < 0.001), but no significant changes were observed in the control group (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Concerning the effectiveness of the progressive muscle relaxation technique in relieving the stress and anxiety of the nurses caring for COVID-19 patients, it is suggested to include this relaxation technique in nursing courses.

Perceived Disaster Preparedness and Willingness to Respond among Emergency Nurses in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

Emergency nurses serve a vital role in disaster situations. Understanding their disaster preparedness and willingness to respond to a disaster is important in maintaining appropriate disaster management. The purpose of this study was to explore emergency nurses' disaster preparedness and willingness to respond based on demographic and disaster-related characteristics, and their willingness to respond based on specific disaster situations.

METHODS

In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, the Disaster Preparedness Questionnaire for Nurses and willingness to report to duty by type of event were used to collect data from 158 nurses working in four regional emergency medical centers from 1 December 2019 to 30 April 2020 in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS

Emergency nurses with personal disaster experience as a victim or witness (t = 3.65, p < 0.001), professional disaster experience (i.e., working as a nurse) (t = 3.58, p < 0.001), who were current members of Korean Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (t = 6.26, p < 0.001), and who received disaster-related training within a year (t = 5.84, p < 0.001) showed a high level of perceived disaster preparedness. Emergency nurses who have professional disaster experience (i.e., working as a nurse) (t = 2.42, p = 0.017), are on a current disaster team (t = 2.39, p = 0.018), and have received disaster training (t = 2.73, p = 0.007) showed a high level of willingness to respond. Our study showed a high willingness to respond to natural disasters and low willingness to respond to technological disasters.

DISCUSSION

To promote the engagement of emergency nurses in disaster response, disaster education programs should be expanded. Enhancing the safety of disaster response environments through supplementing medical personnel, distributing available resources, and providing sufficient compensation for emergency nurses is also essential.

Assessment of Knowledge, Emotion, and Attitude Levels of Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers on the Disaster Management and Pediatric First Aid

OBJECTIVES

This study's aim is to assess the disaster management and pediatric first aid-related knowledge, emotion, and attitude levels of of kindergarten and elementary school teachers, as the professionals that are first to provide interventions in the case of a disaster to children ages 0-8, who are considered to be among the vulnerable groups in the context of a disaster.

METHODS

A total of 119 teachers working in the kindergarten and elementary schools located in the Gümüşhane province of Turkey were included in the study and were asked to fill in a questionnaire that comprises 3 sections. Data collection tools included a sociodemographic questionnaire, teachers' disaster management knowledge levels, and teachers' pediatric first-aid knowledge, emotion, and attitude levels.

RESULTS

Analysis of the scores obtained by the teachers from the questionnaire revealed that the teachers, who participated in the study, had a high level of disaster management knowledge and a moderate-to-high level of pediatric first aid knowledge.

CONCLUSIONS

It is suggested as a result of this study that the disaster risks and injuries or losses of life associated with disasters that may occur at schools may be reduced with disaster management and first-aid interventions.

The Use of Virtual Reality to Improve Disaster Preparedness Among Nursing Students: A Randomized Study

BACKGROUND

Disaster response inevitably challenges the capacity and capability of nurses. Nursing students are an important reserve force in disaster response; hence, disaster preparedness is increasingly needed.

METHOD

A two-arm randomized controlled trial was adopted. Forty-nine nursing students were assigned into the virtual reality (VR) groups, and 52 were allocated into the control group. Data were collected at baseline and at the end of the study.

RESULTS

After adjustments for basic characteristics, the effects of VR groups on disaster preparedness (F(1,94) = 11.049, p = .001, ηp² = 0.105), confidence (F(1,94) = 6.992, p = .010, ηp² = 0.069) and performance (F(1,94) = 4.298, p = .041, ηp² = 0.044) were assured.

CONCLUSION

Integrating VR groups into the nursing curriculum on disaster response could enhance disaster preparedness, confidence, and performance among nursing students. VR groups represent a cost-effective modality of simulation in nursing education, which could bridge the gap between the lack of disaster training and the high demands for disaster preparedness. [J Nurs Educ. 2022;61(2):93-96.].

A Survey Study of Public Health Nurses’ Knowledge in Disaster Management in Indonesia

AIM: This descriptive survey study examines the level of public health nurses’ (PHNs) knowledge regarding disaster management. The knowledge was examined according to three disaster phases, including preparedness, response, and recovery phase. MATERIALS & METHODS: A stratified proportionate random sampling method was employed to recruit 252 PHNs of Aceh Province, Indonesia. The data were collected during November and December of 2010 by using the questionnaire developed by the researchers. They were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and minimum and maximum scores. Additional analyses were performed to identify potential contributing factors to the PHNs' knowledge using the Spearman rank correlation (rs) and the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The finding showed that PHNs' knowledge in disaster management was moderate (M=70.73%, SD=8.41), and nearly half of the subjects (42.5%) were categorized in this level. The lowest mean score was found in the response phase (64.75%), and four items with the lowest percentage of correct answers were also found in this phase. CONCLUSION: The low level of knowledge for the response phase can be used to flag health policymakers and public health centers (PHC) to develop appropriate educational training and disaster drills for PHNs in collaboration with stakeholders in the community.

What Should Public Health Nurses Do in the Preparedness Phase of Disaster?

Disasters will lead to various problems in the community that cannot be resolved through standard procedures and require the assistance of other resources. Natural and human-caused disasters have been and will continue to occur throughout the world. This event strongly encouraged the nursing profession to develop a strategic plan to address the situation, which challenges the PHNs to handle catastrophic situations. The goal of the study was to explore the perceived knowledge and skills of PHNs in disaster management. A systematic review approach was applied, sources of information derived from the literature were obtained through various methods. In this study, the knowledge and skills of the PHNs in disaster management are discussed at the disaster preparedness stage (disaster risk and population identification, including inter-agency collaboration). PHNs should always be aware and ready for future disaster occurrences by enhancing their knowledge and heightening their clinical practice skills, particularly in disaster management. In addition, the collaboration among the Health Department and other institutions is required to develop regular disaster drills between healthcare providers and communities to enhance self-awareness and preparedness regarding emergency and disaster events.

Nurses' knowledge, skills and preparedness for disaster management of a Megapolis: Implications for nursing disaster education

As frontline health caregivers, nurses must be adequately prepared to respond effectively to disasters. Therefore, it is necessary to assess nurses' disaster management capacity to know their preparedness levels, especially for a densely populated Megapolis like Dhaka, which is at high risk of disasters. Thus, the study aimed to examine Dhaka city nurses' knowledge, skills, preparedness (KSP) for disasters and explore the factors influencing the KSP levels. A self-explanatory descriptive survey questionnaire was developed adopting the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool (DPET) in Bangla language for quantitative data collection. Following multistage sampling, 410 nurses' data were collected from eight hospitals in Dhaka city. The nurses in Dhaka city had moderate levels of knowledge, skills, and preparedness for disaster management, reflecting that they need more development to deal with disasters effectively. Moreover, multiple linear regression analyses indicate that nurses' disaster knowledge, skills, and preparedness scores were significantly positively associated with training on disaster management (p < 0.001) and disaster response experience (p < 0.001). In addition, one-half of the respondents demanded more drills and exercises on disaster management in their workplaces to enhance their disaster skills and preparedness. Furthermore, disaster education should be incorporated into the nursing curriculum, which would play a seminal role in preparing them for future disaster management.

The Effectiveness of Disaster Education for Undergraduate Nursing Students' Knowledge, Willingness, and Perceived Ability: An Evaluation Study

As future healthcare professionals, nursing students should possess the appropriate knowledge, skills, and positive attitude to respond to public health emergencies or disasters worldwide. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a disaster management training course at improving Hong Kong nursing students' disaster knowledge, willingness, and perceived ability. A mixed-method design using a single group with pre- and post-intervention comparisons followed by qualitative focus group interviews, was conducted. A 45-h disaster management training course with theoretical and practical inputs was conducted. A total of 157 students participated in and completed the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Positive significant results in disaster knowledge (t(156) = -8.12, p < 0.01, d = -0.84) and perceived ability (t(156) = -7.95, p < 0.01, d = -0.72) were found, but no substantial change in willingness to respond to disasters was observed. The participants expressed various concerns regarding their willingness to respond, which can be summarized and grouped as (1) personal risk perceptions, (2) contextual factors of the disaster events, and (3) organizational support. Incorporating disaster training into the tertiary education curricula for basic nursing professionals' training could be a long-term strategy to prepare and expand the competent workforce for future disasters. Government or healthcare organizations are recommended to provide strategies and adequate support to alleviate nursing professionals' concerns and enhance their willingness.

Emergency healthcare workers' preparedness for disaster management: An integrative review

BACKGROUND

Around 2 billion people globally were affected by natural disasters between 2008-2018. The World Health Organization requires countries and governments to have disaster plans and emergency health workers ready and prepared at all times.

OBJECTIVES

To conduct an integrative review of literature of emergency healthcare workers' perceived preparedness for disaster management.

METHODOLOGY

An integrative literature review using the PRISMA checklist guidelines was conducted to explore physicians, nurses, emergency medical services and allied medical professionals' preparedness for disasters. Literature was searched from 2005, published in the English language and from MEDLINE (PubMed), Google Scholar, EMBASE, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, ProQuest and CINAHL databases. Reviews, case reports, clinical audits, editorials and short communications were excluded. Studies were critically appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.

RESULTS

The initial search yielded 9589 articles. Twenty-seven articles were included following application of the eligibility criteria. Included studies were geographically diverse including North America, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific. Most studies (n = 24) assessed the knowledge of healthcare workers in general disasters. Studies using the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool reported moderate disaster preparedness and knowledge, while studies using other instruments largely reported inadequate disaster preparedness and knowledge. Regional variations were recorded, with high-income countries' reporting a higher perceived preparedness for disasters than low-income countries.

CONCLUSION

The majority of the emergency healthcare workers appear to have inadequate disaster preparedness. Previous disaster experience and training improved disaster preparedness. Future research should focus on interventions to improve emergency healthcare workers preparedness for disasters.

Emergency Response: A Cross-sectional Study of Core Competencies for Nurses Regarding Major Infectious Disease Outbreaks

INTRODUCTION

The core competencies of nursing personnel have been identified as a main factor affecting nursing effectiveness. This study examined core emergency response competencies of Chinese nursing personnel related to the outbreak of major infectious diseases.

METHODS

A survey was conducted among 960 nurses working in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. Data were collected on core emergency response competencies of nursing personnel caring for patients with major infectious diseases, measuring overall competency as well as by dimensions of prevention ability, rescue ability, and preparation ability. A t-test and one-way analysis of variance were first analyzed for differences between groups, followed by multiple linear regression to analyze main influencing factors for core emergency response competencies.

RESULTS

The average score for core emergency response competencies of nursing personnel delivering care to patients with major infectious diseases was 128.05 (SD 22.23) (range 36-180 points); or 71%, which is equivalent to moderate performance. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the main influencing factors for these nursing personnel were before participation in emergency drills for infectious diseases, current educational background, and working experience in the realm of infectious disease nursing. The final model explained 8.4% of the variance in core emergency response competencies.

DISCUSSION

These findings indicate that it is necessary to strengthen the training of nursing staff with educational background deficits or no prior work or drill experience related to infectious diseases to effectively improve the core emergency response competencies of nursing personnel relative to infectious diseases.

Developing Hospital Emergency and Disaster Management Index Using TOPSIS Method

Indonesia is a country prone to experiencing natural hazards and disasters, which have frequently damaged public infrastructure, including hospitals. The role of hospitals is crucial to alleviate the impact of disasters. However, there is still a lack of study that analyzes the factors that influence the readiness of hospitals in emergency situations. Filling in this gap, the aim of this paper is to analyze and rank hospitals across West Java and Yogyakarta, Indonesia by the resilience of their emergency management approaches. This research seeks to measure hospital resiliency during emergencies and disasters. Results indicate that the emergency and disaster management coordination, response and disaster recovery planning, communication and information management, logistics and evacuation, human resources, finance, patient care and support services, decontamination and security are key attributes for the decision-making matrix. Based on the Hospital Safety Index tool, this research proposes the Hospital Emergency and Disaster Management (HEDM) index by combining the key attributes and sub-attributes using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) as a multi-attribute decision-making technique. The paper concludes that the anticipated benefits of analyzing the resilience of hospitals by using HEDM is the identification of the most susceptible hospitals based on their levels of readiness and resiliency in areas which are prone to experiencing disasters. This prioritization is important for resource allocation and budget planning.

Validation of the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool for Nurses-The Korean Version

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to validate a Korean version of the disaster preparedness evaluation tool (DPET-K) for nurses and to verify its validity and reliability for use in community healthcare centers and hospitals in South Korea; (2) Methods: In total, 497 nurses (248 for exploratory factor analysis and 249 for confirmatory factor analysis) at public health centers, public health sub-centers, public health clinics, and general hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Gangwon Provinces participated in this study. The tool went through translation and back-translation, content validity verification, a pilot survey, and validity and reliability testing; (3) Results: The DPET-K had 28 items with five factors (disaster education and training, disaster knowledge and information, bioterrorism and emergency response, disaster response, and disaster evaluation). The Cronbach's α values for internal consistency were 0.766-0.953 for the five subscales of the DPET-K. A structural equation model was built through confirmatory factor analysis for goodness of fit (χ²/df = 2.193, SRMR = 0.060, RMSEA = 0.069, GFI = 0.831, CFI = 0.927, NFI = 0.875); (4) Conclusions: The DPET-K was confirmed to be a useful tool for assessing the disaster preparedness of nurses in Korea.

Cohort research analysis of disaster experience, preparedness, and competency-based training among nurses

Introduction

It is expected that in unforeseen situations, nurses will provide appropriate medical interventions, using their expertise and skills to reduce the risks associated with the consequences of disasters. Consequently, it is crucial that they are properly prepared to respond to such difficult circumstances. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the basic competences of nurses in disasters.

Materials and methods

The survey was directed to 468 nurses from all medical centres in Lublin. IBM SPSS Statistics version 23 was used for statistical analyses, frequency analysis, basic descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis. The classical statistical significance level was adopted as α = 0.05.

Results

Based on the logistic regression analysis, it was found that work experience, workplace preparedness, as well as training and experience in disaster response are important predictors of preparedness.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that the nurses' core competencies for these incidents can be improved through education and training programmes which increase their preparedness for disasters. Nurses are among the most important groups of healthcare professionals facing a disaster and should be involved in all phases of disaster management, such as risk assessment and pre-disaster planning, response during crisis situations and risks’ mitigation throughout the reconstruction period.

Disaster Preparedness in Selected Hospitals of Western Ethiopia and Risk Perceptions of Their Authorities

Purpose

Despite the fact that hospitals are always at a high risk of disasters, the preparedness status in many of the Ethiopian hospitals is not well recognized. It is with this research gap in mind that this study motivated the authors to assess disaster preparedness level in selected hospitals of the western part of Ethiopia and their authorities’ risk perceptions.

Methods

This was a facility-based study conducted by using mixed qualitative and quantitative research designs among selected hospitals of western Ethiopia. While disaster and emergency readiness was evaluated using a modified World Health Organization observation check list. The key informant interview method was used to assess the disaster risk perception of the hospitals’ authorities in the study area.

Results

The overall level of emergency and disaster preparedness in the selected hospitals was weak with an average calculated preparedness score of 45.6%. The score of readiness in terms of disaster response and recovery planning was 33.3%. Moreover, we have not got a documented disaster plan in all of the hospitals and the hazard-specific response sub plans were also not consistently in place. Of prime concerns, this study has revealed that there was no patient evacuation plan in all of the selected hospitals. The human resource preparations of the hospitals were relatively better with an average readiness score of 60%. The study has found that no committee was responsible for emergency readiness at all of the sampled hospitals. The hospital authorities’ disaster risk perception was found to vary according to the type of calamities and this was from moderate to high level.

Conclusion

This study concludes that although their authorities’ risk perception of disasters was high, the selected hospitals were ill-prepared for the potential disaster strikes in this study area.

Nurses’ Readiness for Emergencies and Public Health Challenges—The Case of Saudi Arabia

This study was aimed at assessing the readiness of 200 emergency nurses in the southern part of Saudi Arabia in the management of public health emergencies, major incidents, and disasters by using quantitative research through a self-reporting validated questionnaire containing 10 different dimensions. All registered nurses working in emergency departments who were willing to participate, of all ages and gender groups, were included. Nurses who were not present during the study period because of vacation or maternity leave, nurses at the managerial level, and nursing aides were excluded. The participating nurses reported good knowledge in almost all investigated aspects of the theoretical dimensions of emergency management. However, they revealed perceived weaknesses in practical dimensions of emergency management and difficulties in assessing their own efforts. There was a significant correlation between qualification and the dimensions of emergency preparedness, epidemiology and surveillance, isolation and quarantine and critical resources, which indicates a need for strengthening their practical contribution as well as their theoretical knowledge. Educational initiatives combining theoretical and practical aspects of emergency management may provide an opportunity to examine nurses’ knowledge, skills, and abilities continuously in an environment with no harm to patients.

Nurses' experiences regarding shift patterns in isolation wards during the COVID-19 pandemic in China: A qualitative study

AIM AND OBJECTIVE

To explore nurses' experiences regarding shift patterns while providing front-line care for COVID-19 patients in isolation wards of hospitals in Shanghai and Wuhan during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Our findings will help to optimise shift work scheduling, use the existing nursing workforce more efficiently and improve nursing quality.

BACKGROUND

Nurses are one of the main professionals fighting against COVID-19. Providing care for COVID-19 patients is challenging. In isolation wards, the workload has increased, and the workflow and shift patterns are completely different from the usual. More importantly, there is a shortage of nurses. Therefore, it is essential and urgent to arrange nurses' shifts correctly and use the existing workforce resources efficiently.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive study of 14 nurses in Chinese hospitals was conducted.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were used based on the phenomenological research method; data were analysed using Colaizzi's method of data analysis. This study aligns with the COREQ checklist.

RESULTS

Four themes were extracted: assess the competency of nurses to assign nursing work scientifically and reasonably, reorganise nursing workflow to optimise shift patterns, communicate between managers and front-line nurses to humanise shift patterns, and nurses' various feelings and views on shift patterns.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to arrange shift patterns scientifically and allocate workforce rationally to optimise nursing workforce allocation, reduce nurses' workload, improve nursing quality and promote physical and mental health among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study emphasised nurses' experiences on shift patterns in isolation wards, providing useful information to manage shift patterns. Nursing managers should arrange shifts scientifically, allocate nursing workforce rationally, formulate emergency plans and establish emergency response rosters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Differences in the Disaster-Preparedness Behaviors of the General Public and Professionals: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China

Sichuan Province in China is one of the world’s most earthquake-stricken areas. Wenchuan and Lushan Counties in Sichuan and other earthquake-stricken areas contain rural settlements subject to geological disasters and poverty. However, there is little research on the characteristics of disaster-preparedness behavior and whether these differ between professionals and the general public in rural settlements with high earthquake risk and poverty. Using survey data from 327 farmers in rural settlements affected by major earthquakes in Wenchuan and Lushan Counties, independent-sample t-tests and chi-squared tests were used to test for differences in the disaster-preparedness behaviors of professionals and the general public. The results show that (1) there were significant differences in emergency-disaster preparedness, knowledge and skills preparedness and overall disaster-prevention preparedness, and (2) there was no significant difference in physical disaster-prevention preparation. Based on these results, the study suggests policy directions for regional poverty alleviation, disaster prevention and reduction and disaster management.

Development and Psychometric Testing of a Tool Measuring Nurses' Competence for Disaster Response

INTRODUCTION

There is a growing awareness among governments, communities, and health care agencies of the need to evaluate roles and competencies in disaster nursing. A validated instrument was developed to evaluate nurses' competencies for disaster response.

METHODS

A psychometric evaluation study was developed in 2 stages: 1) content and face validity, and 2) verification of feasibility and reliability with test-retest. Competencies were extracted from the Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies published by the International Council of Nurses. The participants included 8 experts in emergencies and disasters who were nurses with a PhD and had more than 2 years of experience with education or clinical practice in emergencies or disasters, and 326 nurses from a mobile emergency care service in southern Brazil. The data analysis used a content validity index and intraclass correlation coefficients. The psychometric properties of the instrument included reliability assessed with Cronbach alpha, feasibility and test-retest reliability assessed with t tests and intraclass correlation coefficients, and factor analysis.

RESULTS

The overall evaluation of the instrument yielded an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.92 (SD = 0.04), and the mean content validity index was acceptable at 0.88 (SD = 0.12). Out of 51 items, 41 were validated and organized in 3 domains according to factor analysis: 1) care of the community; 2) care of the individual and family; and 3) psychological support and care of vulnerable populations. The instrument demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.96) and adequate test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.7).

DISCUSSION

The Nurses' Disaster Response Competencies Assessment Questionnaire showed good internal consistency, adequate reproducibility, and appropriate feasibility for use to evaluate nurses' competencies for disaster response.

The effects of psychological first aid training on disaster preparedness perception and self-efficacy

OBJECTIVE

This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the impact of psychological first aid training on the perception of disaster preparedness and self-efficacy.

METHODOLOGY

This study is an experimental randomized control study design with monitoring measurement. The study was carried out with a total of 76 nursing students including 38 in the intervention group and 38 in the control group. The data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Disaster Preparedness Perception Scale for Nurses and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSS). Sessions of Psychological First Aid training that lasted 60 min were carried out with the students in the experiment group once a week along 6 weeks. The statistical analysis on the data involved descriptive statistical methods (means, standard deviations, frequencies), Mann Whitney U test, Spearman Correlation, Friedman and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests.

FINDINGS

It was found that the mean scores of the intervention group under all sub-dimensions of the disaster preparedness perception scale for nurses (preparation phase, intervention phase, and post-disaster phase) increased significantly after the training and in follow-ups, and these were significantly higher than the mean scores of those in the control group. It was determined that the mean post-training and follow-up general self-efficacy scores of the intervention group increased significantly, and these were significantly higher than the mean scores of those in the control group.

CONCLUSION

It was determined that psychological first aid education positively affected the subject's perception for disaster preparation as well as their perception of general self-efficacy. In line with this conclusion, as per this study it is suggested to provide training that includes psychological first aid training module in undergraduate nursing programs.

The knowledge, skill competencies, and psychological preparedness of nurses for disasters: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Disasters and the magnitude of destruction are increasing worldwide. Nurses constitute the largest number of healthcare providers and have major roles in disaster response and care. They need to have sufficient knowledge, skill competencies, and preparedness in responding to disasters. This review aimed to evaluate nursing preparedness to disasters in terms of knowledge, skill competencies, and psychological preparedness to disasters.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted from recent research articles published between 2001 and 2018, which included searches from five databases: PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, Medline, and ScienceDirect. Quality of the selected studies was assessed using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and the review results were generated through an iterative narrative process of synthesis to identify common themes.

RESULTS

Twelve studies, with a total of 1443 nurses involved, met the inclusion criteria. The articles revealed the need for further development of disaster preparedness of nurses in the aspects of knowledge and skill competencies; and in particular with more focus on the education of nurses to achieve better psychological preparedness.

CONCLUSION

The results of this review showed that it is important to enhance the psychological preparedness of nurses, in addition to knowledge and skill competencies, so that they can provide the best care possible to affected individuals as well as for themselves.

Expectations of survivors towards disaster nurses in Indonesia: A qualitative study

Objective

This study aims to explore the expectations of survivors towards disaster nurses.

Methods

The study used qualitative content analysis. Data were collected in 2017 through three focus group discussions with 21 survivors and in-depth interviews with three community leaders; the respondents had experienced one of the following events: a) an earthquake in Padang 2009, b) a volcanic eruption in Yogyakarta 2010, and c) flooding in Jakarta 2014.

Results

Four themes represented survivors' expectations of what nurses can do in responding to a disaster, including: a) provision of direct nursing care, b) provision of information of health service access, c) provision of resources through cross-sector coordination, and d) disaster preparedness activities for the community.

Conclusions

This study suggests the importance of disaster nurses having the competency to update information regarding healthcare access, particularly the utilization of health insurance and providing culturally competent care to the survivors. Disaster nurses are also expected to be able to train the community and families about preparedness-related activities. Besides, these disaster nurses should improve their competency in disaster risk reduction. More broadly, such nurses should have the ability to advocate and coordinate with the local government and other stakeholders regarding access to healthcare services and continuous rapid assessment, so that survivors receive immediate and appropriate treatment.

Current Status of Disaster Preparedness of Pharmacies and Differences in Disaster Awareness Based on Pharmacy Size

Objective

The prevention of deaths caused indirectly by disasters is important, especially for evacuees requiring medication. Pharmacies play a major role in providing medication to disaster victims. Therefore, this study evaluated the current status of disaster preparedness among pharmacies, the extent of disaster awareness and knowledge of disaster mitigation measures, and any associations of these with the characteristics of pharmacies.

Methods

Questionnaires about disaster preparedness were sent to 337 pharmacies in Japan, in a region at high risk of major earthquakes. Tabulation analyses were carried out to examine the characteristics of pharmacies and then a logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between disaster awareness and the level of preparedness of pharmacies. Furthermore, to examine in detail any differences associated with pharmacy size, subgroup analyses were performed.

Results

High disaster awareness was significantly correlated with adequate disaster preparedness. However, in the subgroup analyses, no significant differences were observed among large pharmacies. In contrast, disaster awareness was significantly related to the disaster preparedness of small pharmacies.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that the disaster preparedness of pharmacies is related to the level of disaster awareness, highlighting the importance of disaster awareness activities in ordinary times before a disaster. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:753–757)

Disaster Preparedness in Hospitals in the Middle East: An Integrative Literature Review

Disasters occur rarely but have significant adverse consequences when they do. Recent statistics suggest that millions of lives and billions of US dollars have been lost in the last decade due to disaster events globally. It is crucial that hospitals are well prepared for disasters to minimize their effects. This integrative review study evaluates the preparedness level of hospitals in the Middle East for disasters using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The key terms include disaster preparedness OR disaster management OR emergency response AND Middle East AND hospitals. The study reviews articles published between January 2005 and December 2015, which focused on the hospitals’ preparedness for disasters in the Middle East nations. Based on their meeting 5 eligibility criteria, 19 articles were included in the review. Twelve of the articles focused on both natural and man-made disasters, whereas 6 of them were based on mass casualty events and 1 on earthquake. Thirteen of the reviewed articles ranked the level of preparedness of hospitals for disasters to be generally “very poor,” “poor,” or “moderate,” whereas 6 reported that hospitals were “well” or “very well prepared” for disasters. Factors affecting preparedness level were identified as a lack of contingency plans and insufficient availability of resources, among others. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:806–816).

Indonesian nurses' perception of disaster management preparedness

PURPOSE

Using a quantitative approach, this study aims to assess Indonesian nurses' perception of their knowledge, skills, and preparedness regarding disaster management.

METHODS

This study was a descriptive comparison in design. The research samples are Indonesian nurses working in medical services and educational institutions. The variables of nurses' preparedness to cope with disaster victims were measured using the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool (DPET), which was electronically distributed to all nurses in Indonesia. Data were analyzed using a statistical descriptive one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and t-test with a significance level of 95%.

RESULTS

In total, 1341 Indonesian nurses completed this survey. The average scores of preparedness to cope with disasters, the ability to recover from disaster, and evaluation of disaster victims were 3.13, 2.53, and 2.46, respectively. In general, nurses surveyed in this study are less prepared for disaster management, and do not understand their roles both during the phase of disaster preparedness, and when coping with a post-disaster situation.

CONCLUSION

Nurses' preparedness and understanding of their roles in coping with disasters are still low in Indonesia. Therefore, their capacity in preparedness, responses, recovery, and evaluation of disasters needs improvement through continuing education. The efforts needed are significant due to potential disasters in Indonesia and adequate nurses resources.

Psychological status of nursing survivors in China and its associated factors: 6 years after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake

PURPOSE

Nursing survivors are often not only the victims but also the rescuers in a disaster. Severe natural disasters can cause them long-term psychological impact. This study aimed to investigate the psychological status of nursing survivors and its associated factors 6 years after the severe earthquake that occurred in Wenchuan, Sichuan, on May 12, 2008.

METHODS

The study used a cross-sectional design. A total of 597 nurses who survived the earthquake and took care of victims were recruited about 6 years after the disaster. They completed a self-report questionnaire assessing information about demographics, earthquake-related characteristics, psychological status, posttraumatic stress disorder, and posttraumatic growth and resilience.

RESULTS

The mean score on the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) was (123.56±41.26). Of symptoms indicated by the SCL-90-R, obsessive-compulsive dimension had the highest score (1.62±0.62). The psychological status of nursing survivors differed with the title, monthly per capita household income, financial loss, health status, residential satisfaction, and satisfaction with leaders and colleagues. Severe financial loss and poor health status were significant factors of psychological distress. In addition, psychological status was negatively related to posttraumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth, and positively related to resilience.

CONCLUSION

Nursing survivors had a relatively normal level of psychological status 6 years after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. However, psychological symptoms such as obsessive-compulsive patterns still remained. Interventions focusing on the improvement of financial subsidies and physical health may be particularly useful in reducing psychological problems after the disaster.

Global nursing in an Ebola viral haemorrhagic fever outbreak: before, during and after deployment

BACKGROUND

Nurses are on the forefront and play a key role in global disaster responses. Nevertheless, they are often not prepared for the challenges they are facing and research is scarce regarding the nursing skills required for first responders during a disaster situation.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate how returnee nursing staff experienced deployment before, during and after having worked for the Red Cross at an Ebola Treatment Center in Kenema, West Africa, and to supply knowledge on how to better prepare and support staff for viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks.

METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional approach. Questionnaires were administered to nurses having worked with patients suffering from Ebola in 2014 and 2015. Data collection covered aspects of pre-, during and post-deployment on clinical training, personal health, stress management, leadership styles, socio-cultural exposure and knowledge transfer, as well as attitudes from others. Data was analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

RESULTS

Response-rate was 88%: forty-four nurses from 15 different countries outside West Africa answered the questionnaire. The respondents identified the following needs for improvement: increased mental health and psychosocial support and hands-on coping strategies with focus on pre- and post-deployment; more pre-deployment task-oriented clinical training; and workload reduction, as exhaustion is a risk for safety.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supplies knowledge on how to better prepare health care staff for future viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks and other disasters. Participants were satisfied with their pre-deployment physical health preparation, whereas they stressed the importance of mental health support combined with psychosocial support after deployment. Furthermore, additional pre-clinical training was requested.

International Nursing: Needs Assessment for Training in Disaster Preparedness for Hospital Nurses: A Modified Delphi Study

Despite high awareness of the need, opportunities for nurses to gain disaster experience or training are limited. In Korea, most disaster training is done in an undergraduate curriculum where there is very limited practice, and the educational topics are mostly focused on the field aspect of disaster events. The purpose of this study was to determine the need for such training for hospital nurses and to determine appropriate and relevant components of the training contents. A qualitative survey approach using the modified Delphi method was used to collect and analyze the data. The surveys were conducted in 3 rounds. After the results were analyzed from the third-round survey, the authors finalized the contents for a training program to prepare nurses for their roles during disasters. Through a structured needs analysis using a modified Delphi survey, the framework for the content development of disaster training curriculum for hospital nurses was developed.

Emergency Physicians' Preparedness for CBRNE Incidents in Hong Kong

Background

Recent terrorist attacks with biological and chemical weapons have caused much concern for the public. The purpose of this study was to assess emergency doctors' preparedness in handling Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) incidents.

Methods

This is a cross sectional survey of all emergency doctors working in public emergency departments (ED) in Hong Kong. Apart from the experience and confidence to handle these events, data on participants' willingness to participate in CBRNE incidents and training motivations were also analysed.

Results

Biological and radiological events were found to be the least commonly encountered. Few respondents reported they were confident to manage biological events (10.6% to 29.8%), despite 66% of respondents reported having prior training in CBRNE management.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates ED doctors' low confidence in managing specific CBRNE incidents. Current strengths identified include the good awareness of hospital emergency plans and high motivation to get more training.

Disaster Preparedness of Child Care Teachers: A Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to identify the differences in personal disaster preparedness and disaster risk perception among child care and preschool teachers in South Korea by using demographic characteristics and disaster-related questions.

METHODS

A cross-sectional self-reporting questionnaire was administered from February to October 2014.

RESULTS

Of all the participants, 68.1% had received disaster preparedness education and training on 2 or more occasions per year; 13.2% had received no education or training. Personal disaster preparedness differed significantly by marital status (P<0.05), the number of disaster education and training sessions attended (P<0.05), and having purchased home insurance (P<0.001). Disaster risk perception differed significantly by children's age group under a teacher's care (P<0.05). The topic on which child care teachers wanted more training was "fractures and bleeding emergency care" (53.9%). The most probable disaster was considered to be a typhoon (66.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Disaster preparedness is important for both young children and their teachers. Field-based teacher disaster preparedness education and training should be provided so that they can respond effectively to disaster occurrence regardless of type, time, or location. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018; 12: 321-328).

How Do Doctors and Nurses in Emergency Departments in Hong Kong View Their Disaster Preparedness? A Cross-Sectional Territory-Wide Online Survey

Objectives

To assess the level of all-hazards disaster preparedness and training needs of emergency department (ED) doctors and nurses in Hong Kong from their perspective, and identify factors associated with high perceived personal preparedness.

Design

This study was a cross-sectional territory-wide online survey conducted from 9 September to 26 October, 2015.

Participants

The participants were doctors from the Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine and nurses from the Hong Kong College of Emergency Nursing.

Methods

We assessed various components of all-hazards preparedness using a 25-item questionnaire. Backward logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with perceived preparedness.

Results

A total of 107 responses were analyzed. Respondents lacked training in disaster management, emergency communication, psychological first aid, public health interventions, disaster law and ethics, media handling, and humanitarian response in an overseas setting. High perceived workplace preparedness, length of practice, and willingness to respond were associated with high perceived personal preparedness.

Conclusions

Given the current gaps in and needs for increased disaster preparedness training, ED doctors and nurses in Hong Kong may benefit from the development of core-competency-based training targeting the under-trained areas, measures to improve staff confidence in their workplaces, and efforts to remove barriers to staff willingness to respond. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018; 12: 329–336)

Factors influencing disaster nursing core competencies of emergency nurses

Background

Emergency nurses are expected to provide required nursing services by using their professional expertise to reduce the risk posed by disasters. Thus, emergency nurses' disaster nursing core competencies are essential for coping with disasters. The purpose of the study reported here was to identify factors influencing the disaster nursing core competencies of emergency nurses.

Methods

A survey was conducted among 231 emergency nurses working in 12 hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected on disaster-related experience, attitude, knowledge, and disaster nursing core competencies by means of a questionnaire.

Results

In multiple regression analysis, disaster-related experience exerted the strongest influence on disaster nursing core competencies, followed by disaster-related knowledge. The explanatory power of these factors was 25.6%, which was statistically significant (F = 12.189, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

These findings indicate that the disaster nursing core competencies of emergency nurses could be improved through education and training programs that enhance their disaster preparedness. The nursing profession needs to participate actively in the development of disaster nursing education and training programs.

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Emergency nurses' disaster nursing core competencies are essential for coping with disasters.

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Disaster-related experience and knowledge were found to influence disaster nursing core competencies.

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Findings highlight the importance of disaster education and training programs for emergency nurses.

Disaster Preparedness among Health Professionals and Support Staff: What is Effective? An Integrative Literature Review

Introduction It is important that health professionals and support staff are prepared for disasters to safeguard themselves and the community during disasters. There has been a significantly heightened focus on disasters since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York (USA); however, despite this, it is evident that health professionals and support staff may not be adequately prepared for disasters. Report An integrative literature review was performed based on a keyword search of the major health databases for primary research evaluating preparedness of health professionals and support staff. The literature was quality appraised using a mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT), and a thematic analysis was completed to identify current knowledge and gaps. Discussion The main themes identified were: health professionals and support staff may not be fully prepared for disasters; the most effective content and methods for disaster preparedness is unknown; and the willingness of health professionals and support staff to attend work and perform during disasters needs further evaluation. Gaps were identified to guide further research and the creation of new knowledge to best prepare for disasters. These included the need for: high-quality research to evaluate the best content and methods of disaster preparedness; inclusion of the multi-disciplinary health care team as participants; preparation for internal disasters; the development of validated competencies for preparedness; validated tools for measurement; and the importance of performance in actual disasters to evaluate preparation.

CONCLUSION

The literature identified that all types of disaster preparedness activities lead to improvements in knowledge, skills, or attitude preparedness for disasters. Most studies focused on external disasters and the preparedness of medical, nursing, public health, or paramedic professionals. There needs to be a greater focus on the whole health care team, including allied health professionals and support staff, for both internal and external disasters. Evaluation during real disasters and the use of validated competencies and tools to deliver and evaluate disaster preparedness will enhance knowledge of best practice preparedness. However, of the 36 research articles included in this review, only five were rated at 100% using the MMAT. Due to methodological weakness of the research reviewed, the findings cannot be generalized, nor can the most effective method be determined. Gowing JR , Walker KN , Elmer SL , Cummings EA . Disaster preparedness among health professionals and support staff: what is effective? An integrative literature review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(3):321-328.

Disaster preparedness among nurses: a systematic review of literature

AIM

This review explored peer-reviewed publications that measure nurses' preparedness for disaster response.

BACKGROUND

The increasing frequency of disasters worldwide necessitates nurses to adequately prepare to respond to disasters to mitigate the negative consequences of the event on the affected population. Despite growing initiatives to prepare nurses for any disasters, evidence suggests they are under prepared for disaster response.

METHODS

This is a systematic review of scientific articles conducted from 2006 to 2016 on nurses' preparedness for disasters. SCOPUS, MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL and PsychINFO were the primary databases utilized for search of literature. Keywords used in this review were as follows: 'emergency', 'disaster', 'disaster preparedness', 'disaster competencies', 'disaster nursing', 'disaster role' and 'nurse'. Seventeen (17) articles were selected for this review.

FINDINGS

Factors that increase preparedness for disaster response include previous disaster response experience and disaster-related training. However, it is widely reported that nurses are insufficiently prepared and do not feel confident responding effectively to disasters.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this review contribute to a growing body of knowledge regarding disaster preparedness in nurses and have implications for academia, hospital administration and nursing educators. The findings of this review provide evidence that could be used by nurse educators and nurse administrators to better prepare nurses for disaster response.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

The findings from this review place an emphasis on hospitals to implement policies to address lack of preparedness among their employees. Furthermore, this review highlights the benefit of further research and provision of well-grounded disaster exercises that mimic actual events to enhance the preparedness of the nursing workforce.

Readiness of hospital nurses for disaster responses in Taiwan: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Because patients in disaster areas require the most critical care, mobilising hospital nurses has become a pivotal strategy. Given the importance of disaster nursing training programmes, understanding how well prepared hospital nurses are to provide disaster care is vital.

OBJECTIVES

This paper analyses the perceived readiness of hospital nurses for a disaster response and the factors influencing their report for work outside the hospital environment.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional research design was used.

SETTINGS

This study was conducted at a military hospital in Taiwan.

PARTICIPANTS

A sample of 311 registered nurses participated in this study.

METHODS

Data were collected on readiness for disaster responses using a 40-item researcher-designed, self-administered questionnaire found to have satisfactory reliability and validity. The questionnaire has four domains: personal preparation (16 items), self-protection (11 items), emergency response (6 items), and clinical management (7 items). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests and generalised linear models.

RESULTS

The majority of hospital nurses demonstrated poor readiness for disaster responses. Scores on the four domains were most associated with nurses' disaster-related training, experience in disaster response and emergency/intensive care experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that disaster-related training should be included in undergraduate programmes and continuing education courses to help hospital nurses recognise and improve their own readiness for disaster responses outside the hospital environment. Future research is needed to improve hospital nurses' disaster-response readiness in Taiwan and other countries.