Islamic-based Disaster Response Competencies: Perceptions, Roles and Barriers Perceived by Nurses in Aceh, Indonesia

Preparedness of Nurses for Controlling and Preventing the COVID-19 Infection: A Study from Referral Hospitals in Banda Aceh, Indonesia

BACKGROUND: The spread of COVID-19 infection has led to high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Nurses are the frontline health workers in handling COVID-19 infections, so adequate preparedness is needed for them to contribute to controlling and preventing the infections. AIM: This study examines the differences in nurses’ preparedness to control and prevent COVID-19 infection at the two hospitals in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. METHODS: This study is a comparative study with a cross-sectional study approach. The sample were nurses in the COVID-19 ward at hospitals A (n=75) and B (n=36). Data collection was conducted by administering a questionnaire consisting of 39 items in a 5-point Likert scale through Google form. The questionnaire satisfied the content validity by experts and reliability test using Cronbach alpha (= 0.968). Mann Whitney U-Test was conducted for analyzing the data. RESULTS: The results revealed that no significant difference in the preparedness of nurses in controlling and preventing the COVID-19 infection in both hospitals (p=0.860). CONCLUSION: The study findings indicate that respondents' demographic data, such as working experience, nurse education, working experience in the COVID-19 ward, and participation in COVID-19 management training, contributed to the nurses’ preparedness.  

The Impact of Islamic-Based Disaster Response Competencies Program on Nurses: A Computer-based Training Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction:

Disasters have a significant impact on physical, psychological, psychosocial, and spiritual conditions. Indonesia, a predominately Muslim country, is a country of high vulnerability and risk for disasters. The nurses are frontliners and care providers need sufficient competencies in handling the survivors in health service centers. Local government regulations in the Aceh Province required Islamic-based health services.

Objective:

The study aims to identify the effectiveness of the Islamic-based disaster response competencies on nurses at the Banda Aceh Hospitals.

Methods:

A randomized controlled trial with a pre- and post-tests with a control group design was used in this study. The population was all nurses at three hospitals in four wards: emergency department, intensive care, medical, and surgical wards. The samples were selected using cluster random sampling and assigned into three groups: evidence = 50, Islamic = 49, and control = 48. Data were analyzed using parametric and non-parametric tests.

Results:

The results showed a significant increase in nurses’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes of disaster response in the evidence and Islamic groups with the mean and SD of the Islamic group in post-test 1 and 2 (knowledge = 15.9±2.9 and 15.8±2.9, skills = 19.0±1.4 and 18.9±1.4, attitude = 108.1±6.9 and 108.2±6.9) were higher than the evidence group (knowledge = 15.6±2.7 and 15.5±2.7, skills = 18.7±1.5 and 18.8±1.5, attitudes = 107.5±7.4 and 107.4±7.3) and the control group (knowledge=13.8±4.0 and 13.9±4.0, skills = 17.9±1.9 and 17.9±1.9, attitude = 104.5±8.8 and 104.6±8.8), respectively.

Conclusion:

The results indicate the Islamic group is more effective in increasing the disaster response competencies of nurses. This finding suggests the importance of developing regulations including policies, guidelines, emergency and disaster training, and public health services to support the implementation of an appropriate Islamic-based disaster nursing responses for hospitals in the Aceh Province and other regions with the implementation of Islamic law. Request number ANZCTR 378930