Disaster Competency Research Articles

Investigating perceived core disaster competencies of nurses in Iran: A case study of northwest hospitals.

This study was carried out to investigate the perception of the main competencies of disaster management in Iranian emergency department nurses in 2023 in hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. The present study was conducted to explore the perceived core disaster competencies in nurses of hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences in 2023. Due to the rise in natural disasters, their escalating severity and associated regulatory response necessitate a closer look at the preparedness and core competencies of nursing personnel. The main competencies of nurses are necessary to deal with disasters in unexpected events, and they are expected to use their professional expertise to provide the required nursing services to reduce the risks caused by disasters. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted cross-sectionally between May and September 2023. In the study, a sample of 384 nurses working in the departments of four hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences was selected through a random stratification. The data collection instrument was a 45-item scale of nurses' perceived core competencies (NPDCC) in handling disasters. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and independent samples t-test. The significance level was set at 5%. The mean total score of perceived core disaster competencies was 139.11±37.65. The technical skills subscale got the highest score (51.81±11.28) and critical thinking skills received the lowest (9.74±3.92). Also, "technical skills" had the highest average and "critical thinking skills" had the lowest average in all three age groups. The results found a significant difference between the scores of nurses in perceived core disaster competencies in age groups, work environments, education degrees, marital statuses, and experiences of attending disaster workshops (p ≤ 0.05). The results showed that nurses had different levels of core disaster competencies in the department. There are gaps in the core disaster nursing competencies that need to be filled. Nursing managers should consistently evaluate the core nursing competencies to achieve efficacious disaster preparedness. To this aim, it is recommended that authorities implement training courses and programs to enhance the preparedness of nurses in responding to disasters.

Jordanian Nurses' Perceptions of Disaster Preparedness and Core Competencies.

This study aims to identify the Jordanian nurses' perception of their disaster preparedness and core competencies. A descriptive, cross-sectional research design was used. The data was collected via an online self-reported questionnaire using the disaster preparedness evaluation tool and the core disaster competencies tool. A total of 126 nurses participated in the study. Jordanian nurses had moderate to high levels of core disaster competencies and moderate levels of disaster preparedness. Core disaster competencies and disaster preparedness levels differed based on previous training on disaster preparedness, and the availability of an established emergency plan in their hospitals. Lastly, a previous training on disaster preparedness and core disaster competencies were statistically significant predictors of disaster preparedness among Jordanian nurses. Organizational factors and environmental contexts play a role in the development of such capabilities. Future research should focus on understanding the barriers and facilitators of developing core disaster competencies and disaster preparedness among nurses.

Determinants of Disaster Competencies Among Jordanian Nurses in Public Hospitals.

In the last decade, disasters increased by 60% worldwide. These occurrences have resulted in approximately two million deaths and 4.2 million injuries and left 33 million people homeless. Nurses are part of the front-line response team and should be critical during disasters. For nurses to respond competently, they must have the knowledge and skills to provide comprehensive and holistic care to the populations affected by disasters. This study aims to assess the level of competencies among nurses providing disaster care and identify their predictors. A descriptive correlation design was utilized to measure and predict nursing competencies in providing care to individuals amid disasters. An electronic form of disaster response competencies assessment survey was distributed to 400 nurses working at three public hospitals in the central region of Jordan. Jordanian nurses reported a moderate level of competencies in providing care for individuals. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis revealed that disaster training, disaster education, sex, and real disaster experience significantly predict nurses' competencies. With the increasing frequency of disasters, nurses should be adequately prepared to respond to disasters competently to relieve the negative consequences of these events on the affected individuals.

Evaluation of Nurses' Competency, Motivation, and Stress Levels in Disaster Management.

This study was conducted to determine the relationships between nurses' competency, motivation, and stress levels in disaster management, as well as to shed light on the establishment of effective disaster management programs. In our research we used a correlational, descriptive, cross-sectional design. The sample of the study was composed of 498 nurses working in Turkey. The "Descriptive and Professional Characteristics and Disaster Experiences of Nurses" form, the "Competencies for Disaster Nursing Management Questionnaire," the "Perceived Stress Scale," and the "Nurses Job Motivation Scale" were used in data collection. Nurses' disaster management competency and motivation levels were found to be adequate, and their stress levels were found to be moderate. A weak positive correlation was found between disaster management competency and motivation, but a weak negative correlation was found between stress levels. Age, education level, experience level, training in disaster nursing, and knowledge of duties and responsibilities in disasters were associated with significant differences in terms of disaster competency and its dimensions, motivation, and stress levels. The study found that nurses' disaster experiences impacted their competency, feeling of preparedness, and stress and motivation levels, and motivation was found to be a predictor of increasing competency.

The 2023 Model Core Content of Disaster Medicine.

Disaster Medicine (DM) is the clinical specialty whose expertise includes the care and management of patients and populations outside conventional care protocols. While traditional standards of care assume the availability of adequate resources, DM practitioners operate in situations where resources are not adequate, necessitating a modification in practice. While prior academic efforts have succeeded in developing a list of core disaster competencies for emergency medicine residency programs, international fellowships, and affiliated health care providers, no official standardized curriculum or consensus has yet been published to date for DM fellowship programs based in the United States. The objective of this work is to define the core curriculum for DM physician fellowships in the United States, drawing consensus among existing DM fellowship directors. A panel of DM experts was created from the members of the Council of Disaster Medicine Fellowship Directors. This council is an independent group of DM fellowship directors in the United States that have met annually at the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)'s Scientific Assembly for the last eight years with meeting support from the Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee. Using a modified Delphi technique, the panel members revised and expanded on the existing Society of Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) DM fellowship curriculum, with the final draft being ratified by an anonymous vote. Multiple publications were reviewed during the process to ensure all potential topics were identified. The results of this effort produced the foundational curriculum, the 2023 Model Core Content of Disaster Medicine. Members from the Council of Disaster Medicine Fellowship Directors have developed the 2023 Model Core Content for Disaster Medicine in the United States. This living document defines the foundational curriculum for DM fellowships, providing the basis of a standardized experience, contributing to the development of a board-certified subspecialty, and informing fellowship directors and DM practitioners of content and topics that may appear on future certification examinations.

Effectiveness of an online training program for improving nurses’ competencies in disaster risk management

BackgroundNurses’ incompetency in disaster risk management can have many negative consequences during disasters, so it is important to prepare nurses and improve their competencies in disaster risk management. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of an online training program to improve competencies in disaster risk management.MethodThis interventional study was conducted on nurses working in a specialized trauma hospital affiliated with the Kerman University of Medical Sciences in southeastern Iran in 2023. Eighty-one nurses were randomly assigned into two interventions (n = 42) and control groups (n = 39). The intervention group received an online training program in four sessions, and both groups electronically completed the demographic questionnaire and the nurses’ perceptions of disaster core competencies scale (NPDCC) before and one month after the intervention.ResultsThe study results showed no significant difference in disaster competency scores between the two groups before the intervention (p < 0.51), but the NPDCC score in the intervention group was statistically significant after the intervention compared to before the intervention (p < 0.02) and no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.16).ConclusionWhile the online training program was found to significantly improve the NPDCC score of nurses in the intervention group, this increase was not significant when compared to the control group. Therefore, we suggest continuous practical exercises and maneuvers to improve nurses’ perception of the competencies required for effective disaster management.

Exploring Nurses' Perceptions of Disaster Preparedness Competencies

Background: Indonesia frequently experiences natural disasters, underscoring the importance of nursing competencies in disaster preparedness. Nevertheless, especially among general nurses, the factors shaping these competencies are not well understood.Purpose: This study aimed to explore Indonesian nurses’ perceptions of disaster preparedness competencies and compare these perceptions across distinct characteristics.Methods: Adopting a cross-sectional design, 230 nurses from all wards of a public hospital in Jakarta Province were selected via quota sampling. The Nurses’ Perceptions of Disaster Core Competencies Scale (NPDCC) questionnaire was utilized to assess nurses’ perceptions of competencies across five domains. The study employed Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and Likelihood ratio tests, followed by backward (likelihood ratio) multiple logistic regression, to analyze the relationship between nurses’ characteristics and their perception of disaster preparedness competencies.Results: Results indicated that 51.7% of nurses perceived their disaster competencies as high, with an average score of 175.84(25.017). Further analysis revealed that nurses’ perceptions of these competencies were influenced by education (p=0.002), disaster simulation experience (p=0.036), and awareness of hospital disaster plans (p=0.012), with Nagelkerke’s R2=0.140. Nurses with a diploma qualification were 2.569 times more likely to perceive their skills as lower. Lack of simulation experience and unawareness of the plan further diminished perceived competencies, with ORs of 2.050 and 5.420, respectively.Conclusion: While education, disaster simulation experience, and plan awareness are crucial for nurses’ perceptions of disaster competencies, enhancing other supportive factors is also vital. This study recommends that hospitals increase educational opportunities, emphasizing regular disaster simulations and granting better access to disaster plans, to bolster nurses’ disaster preparedness competencies.

Self Efficacy and Nurses’ Disaster Competency in Disaster Preparedness Management

Introduction: Natural disasters are catastrophic events with geological, and hydrological origins such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, landslides that can cause fatalities, property damage and social environmental disruption. The threat of geological disasters like tsunami and earthquakes as well as the threat of hydrometeorology, such as floods, landslides, hurricanes, and fires normally occur in Indonesia. Nurses have a role to play in educating the public and engaging in the crisis. This research aims to determine the relationship between nurses’ self-efficacy and disaster preparedness management competency. Method: This research is a quantitative study with a cross-sectional approach. The population consisted of nurses who served in the Emergency Room at three disaster referral hospitals in Padang. According to the inclusion criteria, nurses who participated in this study were selected by the purposive sampling method as 1st level disaster nurses, as many as 60 nurses. The data collection was carried out from August to October 2020. Results: This research shows that there was a significant relationship between nurses’ self-efficacy and disaster preparedness management with a p-value of 0.0001 and a strong relationship with a value of r = 0.673. There was a relationship between disaster management competencies and disaster preparedness management with a p-value of 0.0001, the strength of the relationship was moderate with a value of r = 0.473. Conclusion: The nurse is one of the resources responsible for disaster preparedness management in the community. Educating the nurses about disaster preparedness management increases the nurses’ readiness. Nurses can take action in managing the disaster response.

Starting Points for Promoting Disaster Resilience in Home Nursing Care in Germany–A Participatory Development Process

Introduction:In Germany, more than 3.3 million people in need of long-term care are receiving home care. Although not all of them use professional home care providers, their services are essential especially to those who need skilled nursing care and medical-technical assistance in addition to everyday support–such as approximately 30,000 people who receive home mechanical ventilation. Little is known about the disaster resilience of home care infrastructures and ways to strengthen them. A research consortium called AUPIK, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research from 2020-2023, sought to close this gap.Method:A participatory process was initiated as part of the AUPIK project based on results of a multi-perspective empirical baseline analysis which resulted in a first draft text about measures to promote disaster resilience in home care. 37 representatives of home nursing care providers and community health-care services, professional boards, scientific and education institutions participated in a web-based survey on the draft text, followed by two digital group discussions. Finally, the gradually revised, condensed and consented starting points were published and distributed.Results:Eight starting points were defined. Among others, there is an urgent need to strengthen risk awareness and resource management among home care providers, to promote individual disaster competence and preparedness among all parties involved and, not least, to strengthen community-based networking initiatives between home care providers, emergency and disaster organizations and local authorities. Institutions or persons who should take responsibility for implementation at different levels are addressed directly.Conclusion:The final version of the starting points represents a consensus on urgently needed initiatives to promote disaster resilience in home nursing care in Germany. The participatory development process should support commitment on the part of all stakeholders and thus promote effective implementation of disaster resilience initiatives in home nursing care.

Nurses' knowledge levels and preparedness for disasters: A systematic review

ObjectiveNurses, who play a key role in disasters, should be sufficiently prepared and have good knowledge in responding to disasters to reduce the negative consequences on the population affected by disasters as disasters increase globally. The study aimed to investigate the results of peer-reviewed publications that measure nurses' level of knowledge and preparedness for disasters. MethodThe systematic review model was used in this study. Scientific studies on disaster preparedness of nurses in Turkish and English between 2015-and 2019 were systematically examined. Sciencedirect, Ulakbim and Medline/PubMed databases were used for the literature search. In the study, the keywords ‘disaster’, ‘disaster preparedness', ‘disaster competencies', ‘disaster nursing’, ‘disaster information’ and ‘nurse’ was searched. Seventeen (17) research articles conducted with nurses suitable for the study were included and analyzed. ResultsStudies commonly report that nurses are not sufficiently prepared for disasters and are not confident in responding to disasters effectively. It was seen that the factors that increase the preparedness for disaster response are previous disaster response experience and disaster-related education level. ConclusionThe results of this systematic review show that it is necessary to develop better education and training programs to strengthen the knowledge and skills of nurses, especially in disaster preparedness.

A cross-sectional study on public health nurses' disaster competencies and influencing factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea

Public health nurses are performing various roles during the COVID-19 pandemic: counseling, surveillance, specimen collection, epidemiological investigation, education, and vaccination. This study investigated their disaster competencies in the context of emerging infectious diseases, and identified their influencing factors based on Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory. A convenience sample of 242 was selected from public health nurses working in a metropolitan city of South Korea. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis using the SPSS Statistics ver. 23.0. Results showed that the significant factors influencing disaster competencies included “willingness to respond to a disaster,” “preventive behavior,” “experience of receiving education on emerging infectious diseases response,” “public health center experience,” “job satisfaction,” and “education.” This regression model explained 33.2% of the variance in disaster competencies. “Willingness to respond to a disaster” was the strongest factor affecting disaster competencies. Based on these results, it is concluded that interventions to improve disaster competencies and psychological well-being of public health nurses are needed. Additionally, strategies such as creating a supportive work environment, deploying experienced nurses primarily on the front line, and reducing the tasks of permanent public health nurses should be implemented.

Nursing Students' Competency to Attend Disaster Situations: A Study in Western Iran.

The disaster preparedness of nurses is important as nurses are members of a health care team that needs to work systematically and collaboratively in all conditions. Although education and training naturally underpin effective practice, disaster nursing education is rarely provided to nurses in Iran. Because disaster situations, by definition, overwhelm health services, it is likely that nursing students will be required to join their colleagues in the response. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the competency of nursing students to attend disaster situations. This descriptive, analytical study was conducted in western Iran in 2020. A total of 70 nursing students in the fourth (final) year of their undergraduate nursing education entered the study by a census sampling method. Data collection was undertaken using a validated disaster competency assessment questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY) with descriptive and analytic tests. The mean age of participants was 21.4 ± 2.14 and 57.1% of them were women; 45 participants (64.3%) had received no disaster-related training, and 88.6% had no history of participating in disaster exercises. The total score for nursing students' competence was 125.58 ± 14.19. There was a significant relationship between the mean score of nursing competence in response to disasters and student history of participating in an exercise and training course (P < 0.001). Students' competence in disaster situations is poor. Awareness of the competence condition of nurses is the first step to improve their preparedness as the most key members of the disaster health team. Conducting disaster-related training may be appropriate. The results of this study can provide evidence for the development of educational policies in disaster nursing education.

Emergency department registered nurses overestimate their disaster competency: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundMajor incidents continue to pose a threat to health care systems by overwhelming them with a sudden surge of patients. A major factor impacting a hospital's surge capacity is the skills, abilities, and knowledge of emergency department (ED) registered nurses (RN). The level of disaster nursing competency they possess affects patient safety and outcome. ED RNs' ability to accurately assess their competency and knowledge is imperative for mitigating the effect of major incidents. ED RN’s perception of overall disaster preparedness has not been thoroughly addressed. The aim of this study was to assess emergency department registered nurses' self-perceived disaster preparedness. MethodThe study was a cross-sectional study per the STROBE checklist. A self-assessment questionnaire based on the results of a study identifying specific disaster nursing competencies for ED RNs was distributed to all ED RNs at six participating hospitals between January 10th to February 19th of 2019. A five-point Likert-type scale was used to assess competency. ResultsED RNs’ disaster preparedness according to the Total Disaster Competency mean was low. Furthermore, the results indicate that ED RNs’ significantly overestimate their disaster nursing competency when compared to the Total Disaster Competency mean. Additionally, this study identified factors such as experience and education were positively associated with disaster preparedness and self-assessment ability. ConclusionED RNs’ overestimate their disaster preparedness. However, ED RNs with experience and education may be better prepared. ED RNs with formal disaster education appeared to have better insight concerning their preparedness. Clinical experience, advanced levels of education, and training were positively associated with preparedness. Overestimating disaster competencies may negatively impact patient outcomes during a major incident.

간호대학생 대상 시뮬레이션 기반 재난 간호 교육 프로그램: 체계적 문헌고찰

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify trends in disaster nursing education and conduct a systematic review of the characteristics of simulation-based disaster education programs for nursing students. Method: In May 2020, 12 electronic databases were used to conduct a literature search using Korean and English keywords. Simulation, disaster, nursing, and education were among the search keywords. Fourteen studies were selected. The risk of bias assessment tool for non-randomized studies was used to assess study quality. Results: A total of 14 non-randomized studies were selected. Simulation was mainly conducted using high-fidelity simulators and virtual reality simulations. Disaster scenarios included situations such as a bus crash, earthquake, tornado, and toxic chemical exposure in mass casualty incident nursing or disaster drills. There were differences in the methods of simulation interventions, and we found that disaster related nursing competencies such as disaster knowledge, disaster preparedness, disaster performance, confidence, self-efficacy, and ethical reasoning improved in nursing students after the intervention. Conclusion: Disaster nursing education aims to improve nursing students’ disaster competencies. Future research should examine significant risk of bias control for confounding variables, attrition bias, and outcome evaluation.

Improving rural disaster response preparedness.

Disasters happen in all communities and negatively impact the health and safety of populations if not well managed. Rural health organizations face greater challenges when implementing emergency preparedness policies and need unique resources to help ensure the health of their communities. The purpose of this article is to describe the development and evaluation of an agricultural simulation scenario designed for rural health organizations. The agricultural disaster scenario was developed after determining the desired content domains. Forty students from nursing, medicine, public health, and social work participated in a functional simulation using the scenario. Outcomes were measured using a pre-post measurement with one cohort design. Data were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests. Students reported a 30% increase in self-confidence, 38% increase in disaster competence, and 19% increase in interprofessional collaboration competence after the simulation. Statistically significant increases in student scores were noted on all surveys across professions. The agricultural disaster simulation is a valid scenario to use for disaster preparation using emergency operations plans.

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

Introduction:Indonesia, being a part of the Pacific “ring of fire,” is prone to disasters. Several disasters occurred from 2004 to 2019, which resulted in the loss of many lives. These disasters impacted the physical, psychological, psychosocial, and spiritual conditions of survivors. Nurses are the frontline care providers who need adequate competencies to respond to disasters.Objective:This study aimed to explore the nurses’ perception of disaster, roles, barriers, and Islamic-based nurses’ competencies in managing psychological, psychosocial, and spiritual problems due to disasters in hospital settings.Methods:This is a qualitative study conducted in three large referral hospitals in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Focus group discussion was conducted on 24 nurses from three hospitals using the discussion guide consisting of five open-ended questions. The data was analyzed through inductive content analysis.Results:The study found four themes of Islamic nurses’ competencies in disaster response: 1) perception about the disaster is influenced by religiosity, belief, and values, 2) communication skills, 3) nurses’ roles in disaster response consisted of disaster competencies (the use of Islamic values in managing patients’ conditions, and family engagement, 4) competency barriers consisted of inadequate training, insufficient Islamic-based services, and inadequate involvement of policymakers. This study explored Islamic nurses’ competencies in disaster response related perceptions about the disaster, nurses’ roles, and barriers. The limitation and future of the study were also discussed.Conclusion:Perceptions, roles, and barriers in disaster response might influence the development of the Islamic-based nurses’ competencies in care delivery.

Educational needs and disaster response readiness: A cross-sectional study of clinical nurses.

To analyse clinical nurses' educational needs and disaster response readiness and the factors influencing their disaster response readiness. This was a cross-sectional study. A convenience sample comprising 260 nurses with more than a year of working experience at a hospital in Korea was selected from 1-31 August 2019. Data on nurses' educational needs and disaster response readiness were collected from participants. A multiple regression model was used to examine the factors influencing disaster response readiness among nurses. Factors influencing personal readiness were number of years of clinical experience, being female, working in a medical ward, and educational needs for disaster response. Factors influencing self-protection were working in a medical ward and working in the emergency room. Factors influencing the emergency response were working in a medical ward and working in the emergency room. Factors influencing clinical management were a graduate-level education or higher, working in a medical ward, working in the emergency room, working in the paediatric ward, experience receiving disaster-related education, and educational needs for disaster response. It is essential to be aware of the educational needs and disaster readiness of hospital clinical nurses, to develop their capacity to respond such situations. In addition, to improve the disaster competency of nurses, it is necessary to develop an education programme that considers the factors influencing disaster response readiness in this study. Nurses must have the knowledge and skills to respond to a disaster. Nurse educators should help nurses strengthen their disaster-related knowledge, skills, and judgment. Hospital administrators should encourage nurse educators to provide disaster-related training and simulation-based education to increase nurses' disaster competency to act during disasters.

Disaster preparedness amongst pharmacists and pharmacy students: a systematic literature review.

In the aftermath of a disaster, the services provided by pharmacists are essential to ensure the continued health and well-being of the local population. To continue pharmacy services, it is critical that pharmacists are prepared for disasters. A systematic literature review was conducted to explore pharmacists' and pharmacy students' preparedness for disasters and the factors that affect preparedness. This review was conducted in April 2020 through electronic databases CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Scopus and PsycINFO, and two disaster journals. Search terms such as 'pharmacist*', 'disaster*' and 'prepared*' were used. The search yielded an initial 1781 titles. Articles were included if they measured pharmacists or pharmacy students' disaster preparedness. After screening and quality appraisal by two researchers, four articles were included in final analysis and review. Data were extracted using a data collection tool formulated by the researchers. Meta-analysis was not possible; instead, results were compared across key areas including preparedness ratings and factors that influenced preparedness. Three articles focused on pharmacy students' preparedness for disasters, and one on registered pharmacists' preparedness. Preparedness across both groups was poor to moderate with <18% of registered pharmacists found to be prepared to respond to a disaster. Factors that potentially influenced preparedness included disaster competency, disaster interventions and demographic factors. For pharmacists, the lack of research around their preparedness speaks volumes about their current involvement and expectations within disaster management. Without a prepared pharmacy workforce and pharmacy involvement in disaster management, critical skill and service gaps in disasters may negatively impact patients.

Hospital Nurses’ Disaster Competencies

Background: Natural and man-made disasters have significant effects on the physical, psychological, and emotional health of society. Nurses play an essential role in disaster management. Therefore, nurses should have specific core competencies to provide care for affected people during disaster situations. Objectives: This study aimed to assess hospital nurses’ disaster competencies in such situations. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted using a self-report questionnaire that included 50 questions on NCDS (Nurse Competence Disaster Scale) in four domains. The questionnaires were distributed among 142 nurses working in three teaching hospitals in Kerman, Iran, in 2018. Results: The average percentage scores of nurses on their responses to questions in the domains of management, ethical aspects, personal aspects, and technical aspects of disaster competencies were 39.76%, 19.53%, 32.02%, and 75.06%, respectively. In multiple regression analysis, nurses’ participation in maneuvers and their work experience exerted the strongest influence on disaster nursing core competencies. Nurses who had practice during maneuvers had higher competency scores by 19.63 units than those who had no practice (p =0.0001). Moreover, the competency scores of nurses with more than 11 years of work experience were higher by 11.42 units than the others (p =0.0001). Conclusion: According to the results of the current study, strategies such as disaster drills and continuing education programs need to be developed for nurses to improve their disaster core competency.

Relationships between disaster nursing competence, anticipatory disaster stress and motivation for disaster engagement

Nurses are the largest group of healthcare providers and are often the first line responders to a disaster event. Nurses' disaster competence, motivation for disaster engagement, and factors that impact their motivation to respond to disaster events need to be understood. The purposes of the study were to determine the predictive relationships between Taiwanese nurses' disaster competence, anticipatory disaster stress, and motivation for disaster engagement. A cross-sectional design was used to analyze data collected between August 2017 and December 2017 from eight hospitals in southern Taiwan. Ninety participants who met the recruitment criteria completed and returned questionnaires with an 88.24% response rate. Data collection involved administering the Disaster Nursing Competence Questionnaire, Anticipatory Disaster Stress Questionnaire, and the Motivation of Disaster Engagement Questionnaire. The results indicated that anticipatory disaster stress was positively correlated with disaster competence and motivation for disaster engagement. Disaster competence and willingness to join a hospital disaster rescue predicts an individuals' motivation for disaster engagement. The results of the study add to the understanding of factors that correlate with nurses' motivation to participate in disaster events. By understanding these factors, the government and healthcare administrators can design disaster education plans and other strategies to improve Taiwanese nurses’ motivation to engage in disaster events.