Nurses' Roles in Nursing Disaster Model: A Systematic Scoping Review

Old Case, New Tricks: Transforming Antimicrobial Education for Disaster Preparedness

BACKGROUND

Recent pandemics underscore the need to update teaching tools with relevant scenarios, preparing nursing students for future global health challenges.

METHOD

An antimicrobial stewardship case study was adapted to include pandemic scenarios in an accelerated nursing program, focusing on a fictional pandemic caused by Endurabacillus pandemica, a multidrug-resistant organism.

RESULTS

Of 12 students, 8 (67%) reported increased awareness of disaster preparedness, 9 (75%) believed the scenarios effectively illustrated nurses' roles, and 10 (83%) agreed the scenarios accurately depicted challenges of managing resistant bacteria during a pandemic. Ten students (83%) reported the scenarios were engaging, and 11 (91%) found scenarios useful for applying pharmacological concepts. Qualitative feedback commended the realistic scenario progression and decision-making aspects.

CONCLUSION

Incorporating pandemic elements into case studies enriches nursing education with realistic experiences, preparing students for future challenges and integrating disaster preparedness without requiring entirely new content. [J Nurs Educ. 2025;64(4):255-257.].

Disaster management competence, disaster preparedness belief, and disaster preparedness relationship: Nurses after the 2023 Turkey earthquake

AIM

To examine the relationship between nurses' competency levels in disaster nursing management, their disaster preparedness and disaster preparedness beliefs.

BACKGROUND

Nurses' competency in disaster nursing management makes disaster response easier. Factors that may affect this reason should be examined.

METHODS

The study was conducted between April and July 2023 with nurses working in a province in the first-degree earthquake zone in Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 207 nurses who were selected from primary, secondary, and tertiary care institutions by using the stratified sampling method. Data were collected with a personal information form, the Competencies for Disaster Nursing Management Questionnaire, the Disaster Preparedness Scale, and the General Disaster Preparedness Beliefs Scale. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, Spearman regression coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

There was a positive correlation between nurses' competency levels regarding duties and responsibilities and their disaster preparedness levels. Having disaster-related training also positively affected the level of competence in duties and responsibilities. Belief in disaster preparedness and having "partial" knowledge about the disaster had no relationship with competencies.

DISCUSSION

According to the International Council of Nurses and current studies on disaster nursing, "competence areas" are among the priority study subjects.

CONCLUSION

According to the study results, disaster preparedness and having disaster-related education are effective factors in nurses' competencies related to duties and responsibilities.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY

The results of this study may increase awareness in the healthcare system about nurses' disaster management competency levels and the factors that may affect this. It is recommended that disaster preparedness and disaster-related education factors should be taken into account in the initiatives and policies to be planned to improve the duty and responsibility competence of nurses.

Nursing roles in disaster zones: Experiences and lessons from Turkey's 2023 earthquakes

BACKGROUND

Disasters affect human health and well-being globally. Nursing plays a vital role in disaster preparedness and response, ensuring efficient early care coordination and delivering effective field treatment.

AIM

This study investigates the challenges an Israeli humanitarian delegation encountered during their response to major earthquakes in Turkey in 2023. It explicitly focuses on difficulties in preparation, operations, and collaboration with local teams. The study further analyzes the findings and extracts valuable lessons from the mission.

METHODS

Using a qualitative descriptive design, 22 out of 32 nurses involved in delegation participated in three focus group discussions within two months of returning to Israel. The discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically. The study followed the COREQ guidelines, ensuring comprehensive reporting and methodological rigor in qualitative research.

FINDINGS

The study's main findings spanned predeparture preparation, mission challenges in the disaster zone, and postmission lessons, each highlighted by subthemes and participant quotations. A strong sense of mission was evident among the participants, along with frustration at inefficient time management prior to deployment. Many participants noted additional challenges, related to the difficulty of working in multiple languages and across cultures, and the opportunities for resolution. Finally, participants called for better psychological support following the mission.

CONCLUSION

Nurses in disaster zones offer valuable insights to enhance preparation, cross-cultural communication, and postmission implementation.

NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Nurse managers and healthcare policymakers can utilize this study's findings to develop future nursing training programs in disaster-related skills. Additionally, it can help foster collaboration among international healthcare teams.

Enhancing Disaster Preparedness Through Tabletop Disaster Exercises: A Scoping Review of Benefits for Health Workers and Students

Background

Tabletop Disaster Exercise (TDE) is a unique learning method through simulation designed to improve disaster preparedness. It is used every year to train health workers and students in disaster preparedness. However, no review has summarized the potential of TDE.

Purpose

This review aimed to identify the potential of using TDE to improve disaster preparedness among health workers and students.

Methods

A scoping review was used by following the guidelines of The PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A literature search was conducted using five primary databases: CINAHL, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Taylor and Francis, and one search engine, Google Scholar. The keywords were "health workers OR health professionals AND nursing student OR Student AND tabletop exercise OR tabletop disaster exercise AND Disaster preparedness". The inclusion criteria were full-text articles that can be accessed and published in English and primary studies.

Results

This scoping review includes 12 articles. Most of the studies included in this review employed quasi-experimental or pre-experimental designs. The studies were conducted across a variety of countries, including Indonesia, United States, Australia, Iran, Greece, Korea, Qatar, and India. The potential of TDE in improving disaster preparedness is divided into two groups: health workers and students. TDE can improve students' knowledge, attitudes, self confidence and disaster preparedness. In addition, for health workers, TDE improves knowledge, attitudes, awareness, competence, understanding of roles in disaster management, preparedness, performance, triage skills, and self confidence in managing disaster incidents.

Conclusion

TDE, as a disaster management learning method, has great potential to improve disaster preparedness, emergency response, and the ability of health workers to deal with disasters. Nurse managers can design TDE based training and work with educational institutions to integrate it into the curriculum.

Disaster Risk Perception and Sustainable Earthquake Awareness Among Public and Private University Nursing Students

BACKGROUND

This research was conducted in descriptive type to determine the disaster risk perception and sustainable earthquake awareness of nursing students studying at public and private universities.

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 400 nursing students studying at one public and one private university. The research was conducted between April and May 2023. The data were collected using a Sociodemographic Form, University Students Disaster Risk Perception Scale (USDRPS), and Sustainable Earthquake Awareness Scale (SEAS). Data were collected online using a questionnaire created on Google Forms. Analyses included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation values, independent groups t-test, post-hoc Tukey test, LSD, and ANOVA test.

RESULTS

Of the students, 61.8% had a disaster experience, 17.4% had lost a relative in the disaster, and 76.8% did not consider themselves prepared for a possible disaster. In the study, the exposure sub-dimension score of the disaster risk perception scale was found to be higher in students who had disaster experience than in those who did not (p = 0.032). Nursing students from the private university had higher sustainable earthquake awareness scores than those studying at the state university (p = 0.001). The mean scores of female students on the earthquake preparedness and preparation application sub-dimensions showed a significant difference compared to the scores of male students (p = 0.016). In the study, sustainable earthquake awareness total and earthquake preparedness sub-dimension scores were higher in second-year nursing students than in students of other years (p = 0.042; 0.015). Those who had received disaster training had low scores on the uncontrollable sub-dimension of the disaster risk perception scale, and high scores on the total SEAS and earthquake-structure relationship, earthquake preparedness, and earthquake preparation application sub-dimensions (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In the study, three out of four students did not find themselves prepared for disasters. Those who had disaster experience had higher disaster risk perceptions. Students who had received disaster-related training had more positive earthquake preparedness, earthquake-structure relationship, and earthquake preparation applications than those who had not. Students who were female and were in the second year had higher earthquake awareness. Studies can be carried out to inform people about the pre-disaster and preparation stages to raise awareness about disasters at universities. Education on disaster management can be integrated into courses from the first years of university.

How did home care nurses support COVID-19 patients in Japan? A qualitative study

AIM

Home care nurses support patients with COVID-19 with mild to moderate symptoms at home due to the lack of community-based support. Little is known about how nurses initiated and maintained support for patients with COVID-19. This study explored the experiences of home care nurses in supporting patients with COVID-19 at home.

METHODS

Using snowball sampling, 21 home care nurses participated in semi-structured interviews conducted either in person or online between September 2021 and February 2023. A qualitative study using a grounded theory approach was conducted.

RESULTS

Home care nurses faced a situation where "suffering patients are overflowing" due to inadequate support from public health centers and designated hospitals. Despite their anxiety, they acted as a "flexible safety net by quickly compensating for uncertain support systems" for patients, families, and local health workers. They "built tentative support systems immediately" and "updated tentative support systems, own knowledge, skills, and mindset." Home care nurses also "rushed to patient/family" to provide timely support and "avoided preventable death."

CONCLUSIONS

Home care nurses act as a flexible safety net, preventing patient deaths by quickly compensating for uncertain support systems before and after initiating care. Their efforts complemented the inadequacies of traditional infectious disease control systems, typically managed by public health centers. Strengthening secondary and tertiary prevention systems is essential for home care nurses to save lives while delivering individualized care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nursing students' metaphorical perceptions of professional communication and the concept of nursing in their first clinical practice: qualitative research

BACKGROUND

Nursing education combines theoretical knowledge and clinical practice to prepare nursing students to meet the evolving demands of healthcare services. Understanding nursing students' metaphorical perceptions of the nursing profession and professional communication during their first clinical experiences can provide valuable insights into their professional identity and communication skills, as well as giving information about necessary improvements in nursing education. This study aimed to reveal the metaphorical perceptions of nursing students regarding the concepts of professional communication and nursing during their first clinical practices.

METHODS

The study was conducted using a phenomenological design, a qualitative research method. A "student information form" and a "metaphor form," developed by the researchers, were used as data collection tools. Participants' sociodemographic data were analyzed on the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The analysis and evaluation of the metaphors used by nursing students for the concepts of nursing and professional communication were carried out in five stages by following the characteristics outlined in the qualitative data analysis approach called Metaphor Analysis. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist was followed in the study.

RESULTS

All 45 participants in the study were first-year nursing students, with 81.0% being female and the average age being 19.88 ± 0.96 years. Of the participants, 66.7% had chosen the nursing department willingly, and 57.1% had preferred it due to job opportunities. Participants generated 35 metaphors for the nursing profession, which were categorized into four groups, and 32 metaphors related to professional communication, which were classified into six groups.

CONCLUSION

The metaphorical perceptions of nursing students during their first clinical practices provided profound insights into how they experienced professional communication and the nursing profession. These metaphors are of great importance in understanding the challenges, the skills gained, and the emotional responses encountered during the students' professional development processes.

Experiences of Turkish nurses volunteering in the disaster zone following the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake

AIM

The study aimed to determine the experiences of Turkish nurses who volunteered in the disaster zone following the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake.

BACKGROUND

The earthquake devastated 11 cities in Türkiye, which required a comprehensive humanitarian response. Despite the crucial role of nurses in crisis management, limited research exists on their experiences in earthquake zones.

INTRODUCTION

Nurses experience difficulties in disaster areas, such as physical conditions, lack of disaster plans, and inadequate disaster training before being deployed to earthquake areas.

METHODS

This study used a qualitative research model and case study design. Data were collected through in-depth qualitative interviews. Nine participants who had worked in earthquake zones for at least 5 days were included in the study. The discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically. The purposive sampling method was used, and the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines were followed.

RESULTS

As a result, 4 themes, namely physical conditions, psychosocial conditions, professional conditions, and organization, and their 14 subthemes were determined. This study revealed that nurses encountered difficulties related to physical conditions in earthquake zones. Moreover, the emotional burden expressed by the nurses highlighted the profound psychological impact of disaster response.

CONCLUSION

This study determines that disaster preparedness and support for nurses should be enhanced to improve the arrangement of health services in future calamities.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY

The results of this study can be used by nurse managers and healthcare policymakers to create nursing training programs that focus on disaster-related competencies.

Overcoming challenges in nursing disaster preparedness and response: an umbrella review

Disaster nursing plays a vital role in addressing the health needs of vulnerable populations affected by large scale emergencies. However, disaster nursing faces numerous challenges, including preparedness, logistics, education, ethics, recovery and legalities. To enhance healthcare system effectiveness during crises, it is essential to overcome these issues. This umbrella review, conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, synthesizes data from 24 studies to identify key strategies for improving disaster nursing. The review highlights nine key themes: Education and Training, Research and Development, Policy and Organizational Support, Technological Advancements, Psychological Preparedness and Support, Assessment and Evaluation, Role-Specific Preparedness, Interprofessional Collaboration and Cultural Competence, and Ethics and Decision-Making. The review emphasizes the importance of education, technological advancements, psychological support, and interprofessional collaboration in bolstering disaster nursing preparedness and response efforts. These elements are crucial for enhancing patient outcomes during emergencies and contributing to a more resilient healthcare system. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into the various aspects essential for enhancing disaster nursing. By implementing evidence-based strategies within these nine themes, the nursing profession can enhance its capacity to effectively manage and respond to the complex needs of disaster-affected populations, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes during emergencies.

Clinical nursing competency during epidemics: a qualitative content analysis

BACKGROUND

Nurses are on the frontline for managing epidemic diseases. Different aspects of clinical nursing competencies during epidemics are important issues that need investigation.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine the required clinical competencies for nurses during epidemics. Understanding these competencies could provide valuable information for health care services and nursing education organizations to prepare nurses for future epidemics.

METHODS

The qualitative conventional content analysis study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 12 nurses that were actively engaged in providing patient care during COVID-19 pandemic in Shahid Beheshti hospital in Kashan/Iran, from October 2022 to March 2023. The data analysis process was conducted according to 5 steps suggested by Graneheim and Lundman.

RESULTS

After analysis, the 159 competencies were derived from interviews that were categorized to 11 subcategories, and three categories of clinical nursing skills in epidemics, knowledge of epidemics, and soft skills for nurses in epidemics.

CONCLUSION

Nurses need wide range of competencies to address the professional expectations regarding providing acceptable care during epidemics. Knowing these competencies can help nursing managers to prepare nurses for crisis such as what world experienced during COVID-19 pandemic.

Exploring the consequences of nurses' involvement in disaster response: findings from a qualitative content analysis study

BACKGROUND

The presence of nurses during disasters can lead to many consequences. Understanding the nurses' experiences of these consequences can provide valuable insights. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the experiences of Iranian nurses regarding the consequences they faced when being present during disasters.

METHODS

This qualitative descriptive study employed a content analysis approach to examine the topic at hand. 20 nurses working in the emergency units of Kerman hospitals were selected through purposive sampling. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. MAXQDA 10 was used to manage data.

RESULTS

After analysis of the interviews, two main categories were identified: overlapping of job frustrations and acquiring experience in difficult conditions. The main category of acquiring experience in difficult conditions comprised the following subcategories: improved quality of care, experience and dedication in fulfilling the role, reduced stress, occupational motivation and enthusiasm, increased self-confidence, and improved social status. On the other hand, the category of overlapping of job frustrations also consisted of the subcategories of physical strength deterioration, psychological and emotional distress, discontinued from supports, feelings of hopelessness, increased exposure to violence and aggression, and occurrence of family problems.

CONCLUSION

Being present during disasters and obtaining the necessary competencies can have positive consequences that serve as turning points in the personal and professional growth of nurses. Additionally, favorable outcomes can help nurses cope with adverse circumstances. Managers can utilize the findings of this study to develop strategies aimed at reducing negative outcomes and enhancing positive ones among nurses during disasters.

Development and Effect of a Simulation-Based Disaster Nursing Education Program for Nursing Students Using Standardized Patients

BACKGROUND

Disaster nursing deploys professional nursing knowledge and skills systematically to reduce disaster-related risks to life and health. Disaster nursing education requires providing simulations using standardized patients.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to develop, based on the International Council of Nurses' Framework of Disaster Nursing Competencies, a simulation-based disaster nursing education program for nursing students that employed standardized patients.

METHODS

A nonequivalent, control group, pretest-and-posttest design was used. Participants were senior nursing students from two universities, with 70 assigned to the experimental group, 35 assigned to the comparison group, and 35 assigned to the control group. Data were collected from January 25 to April 3, 2019. The simulation-based disaster nursing education program consisted of a 60-minute theoretical lecture on disaster management and two scenarios. The effectiveness of the simulation-based disaster nursing education program was measured using levels of disaster nursing competencies, disaster triage competency, disaster preparedness, critical thinking disposition, and confidence in disaster nursing.

RESULTS

Significant differences were found between the experimental and comparison/control groups in terms of disaster nursing competencies ( F = 20.06, p < .001), nursing triage ( F = 17.35, p < .001), disaster preparedness ( F = 60.37, p < .001), critical thinking disposition ( F = 19.63, p < .001), and confidence in disaster nursing ( F = 20.24, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Simulation-based disaster nursing education programs using standardized patients can be useful in disaster nursing education. They can contribute to future changes in nursing education and practice by improving the disaster nursing capabilities and preparedness of students.

A literature review on the impact of disasters on healthcare systems, the role of nursing in disaster management, and strategies for cancer care delivery in disaster-affected populations

This review article highlights the critical role of nurses in disaster management, with a specific focus on addressing blood tumors in disaster-affected populations. Disasters have a significant impact on healthcare systems and populations, and nurses play a crucial role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. The article provides case studies and successful examples of nursing interventions in disaster settings and tumor management, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities in providing cancer care in disaster settings. Recommendations for future research and practice in disaster nursing and blood tumor care are also presented. This information is essential for healthcare professionals and policymakers involved in disaster management, as well as researchers and clinicians working in the field of cancer care.

Nursing skills required across natural and man-made disasters: A scoping review

AIMS

To map the nursing skills required for different types of disasters.

DESIGN

This was a scoping review of research studies conducted between July and August 2021. We conducted a systematic literature search of nine electronic databases from inception till July 2021, and an updated search was done in April 2022. This review is based on the methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley (2005), which was further refined by the Joanna Briggs Institute.

DATA SOURCES

A range of electronic databases was searched systematically, including CINAHL, Cochrane, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI and Ichushi-Web. Articles published in Chinese, English and Japanese were selected for the review.

REVIEW METHODS

The PCC model was used to frame the inclusion criteria. Studies were screened, appraised and extracted by two reviewers, and the study findings were narratively synthesized.

RESULTS

We identified nursing skills for five types of natural disasters including (1) earthquakes, (2) typhoons, (3) tsunamis, (4) marine disasters and (5) infectious diseases and three man-made disasters: (1) radiation disasters, (2) bioterrorism and (3) war. Among these, there are five types of common professional skills nurses are required to possess including casualty triage, observation and monitoring, basic first aid techniques, psychological care and communication skills. In addition, it was shown that different disasters require different specific professional skills.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review explored the disaster nursing skills required for eight types of disasters and provides evidence for future education and training. Further research is needed to build more accurate scenario-based simulation training programs to provide more insights into future disaster precision nursing.

IMPACT

This scoping review provides evidence for future education and training in disaster nursing to improve nurses' knowledge and competencies in dealing with the different types of disaster situations.