Disaster Training Program Research Articles

Strengthening Community Disaster Education for Disaster Mitigation

Indonesia, particularly Java Island, is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, which have frequently resulted in significant loss of life, property damage, and fatalities. Given this high level of risk, it is crucial to enhance community preparedness to mitigate the impacts of such disasters. This paper highlights the critical role of disaster education in effective disaster mitigation efforts. Utilizing a library research methodology, this study involved a comprehensive review of literature, including books, journals, and secondary data related to disaster education. The findings indicate that there is currently no standardized method for delivering disaster education. Instead, various approaches are employed, including disaster training programs, awareness campaigns, seminars, simulations, and exhibitions. These alternative methods aim to improve public knowledge and preparedness, although a unified and systematic approach is still lacking.

Design of Online Digital Disaster Training Program for Pre-Service Teachers

At the basic education level, content related to disasters is included in the scope of courses such as Life Sciences, Science, and Social Studies. Studies reveal that teachers and pre-service teachers who conduct these courses are not equipped with the necessary technological and pedagogical skills. It is predicted that integrating disasters and disaster education, which have an interdisciplinary structure, with Web 2.0 technologies, one of today's digital learning tools, will make significant contributions to making disaster education effective. In this framework, the study aimed to design a "Digital Disaster Education Program" in an online learning environment for pre-service primary school, science and social sciences teachers. The study consists of three main parts: designing, implementing, and evaluating the Digital Disaster Education Program. Taba (Grassroots Rationale) model was used in the design of the program. The program, which had a five-day implementation period in the online environment, was repeated three times on different dates and with different participants within a year. In each implementation, 24 pre-service social studies, 24 pre-service science, and 24 pre-service primary school teachers (72 pre-service teachers in total) from across Turkey participated voluntarily. The digital disaster education materials developed by the participants during the program were evaluated with an analytical rubric. As a result, an example of Web 2.0 supported online disaster education programme based on Taba Model has emerged. After the evaluation process, some of the participant products were entitled to receive support by being projected toThe Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK), which is one of the reflections of the positive results of the process. At the end of the study, suggestions were presented for the acquisition of disaster education and digital teaching skills in the pre-service process.

Perception and Attitude towards Disaster Preparedness among Library Professionals in University of Kerala and University of Calicut: An Investigative Study

Libraries stand as crucial pillars in moulding the future generations of society, playing a foundational role in the socioeconomic development of nations. Recognizing their significance, it becomes imperative to safeguard libraries for the prosperity of the upcoming generations. Central to this responsibility is the need for libraries to be well-equipped and prepared to face potential disasters. The article delves into the study of the perception and attitude of library professionals towards disaster preparedness at the University of Kerala and the University of Calicut. The objectives encompass assessing librarians’ perception levels, examining current disaster precautions, studying awareness about disaster management authorities, evaluating awareness of rules and laws, and determining the existence of structured training programs. To gather relevant literature, diverse resources such as Google Scholar, Emerald, ProQuest, ResearchGate, ScienceDirect, conference proceedings, dissertations and theses in Library and Information Science were consulted. The study utilised a closed-ended structured questionnaire aligned with the defined objectives to collect data. The gathered data underwent tabulation and analysis using Microsoft Excel 2013 and SPSS version 21. The findings of the study revealed that library professionals possess an awareness of disasters and the necessity for preparedness, yet there seems to be a gap in translating this knowledge into practical implementation. The conclusion drawn is a call to action, emphasising the need for libraries to execute disaster awareness and training programs for both staff and users. In a world where natural calamities and unforeseen events pose a constant threat, understanding how library professionals perceive and approach disaster preparedness becomes paramount. As custodians of academic treasures, their perspectives shape the resilience of these institutions against potential disruptions. The study, therefore, serves as a critical exploration into the preparedness landscape, providing insights that extend beyond the immediate scope of libraries to contribute to the broader discourse on disaster management in academic settings.

An Education and Training Program on Disaster Triage for Nurses and Nursing Students: Literature Review

Natural disasters continue to increase globally yearly. Over 1.6 billion people live in disaster-prone areas, conflict zones, and displacement areas. The impacts of disasters highlight the importance of disaster preparedness to minimize errors in disaster triage management. However, nurses' knowledge and skills in implementing initial triage procedures are still adequate. This scooping review aims to find an overview of implementing disaster triage education and training programs. This research is a scooping review using the Prisma flow chart in its implementation. This study showed significant results in all articles (n = 14) in increasing knowledge, attitudes, skills, awareness, preparedness, accuracy, and learning motivation in conducting disaster triage. The methods used are simulation methods (live, virtual reality, and screen-based) and training and education methods (lectures, discussions, videos, roleplay, and games) with material on disaster triage, START triage, and SALT triage concepts. This study concluded that disaster triage education for nurses and nursing students is very important to be provided by carrying out the latest methods so that the results are more effective.

Natural disaster literacy in Iran: Survey-based evidence from Tehran

Based on a survey of 502 participants conducted in 2020/2021, this study investigates the state of natural disaster literacy in the Iranian capital of Tehran, which is one of the main metropolitan areas of the country. The results of the empirical investigation using logistic regressions suggest that household income level, trust in Iran's natural disaster management, fear of natural disasters, perceived frequency of natural disasters, and internet usage show positive associations with natural disaster literacy. Additionally, a natural disaster literacy index (DLI) for Tehran City is created, ranging from 0 to 100, using 14 natural disaster literacy indicators. Ordinary least squares (OLS) estimations with the final index provide additional evidence of previous findings. When comparing the average DLI scores of the northern and southern phone districts, spatial inequality within Tehran City becomes visible, where the northern subsample has significantly higher DLI scores than the southern subsample. The conclusion highlights the limited impact of natural disaster experience and formal education on natural disaster literacy, emphasizing the effectiveness of specialized disaster training programs especially targeted at low-income households. Moreover, increasing trust between citizens and the organizations responsible for natural disaster management and educating citizens about the possible risks and frequency of natural disasters in the region help to motivate citizens to be better prepared.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Health Care Providers towards Disaster and Emergency Preparedness in Mtwara, Tanzania

BackgroundOver the past decade, the magnitude and intensity of reported natural and human-made disasters have been rising globally with substantial mortality and long-term morbidity. ObjectivesTo assess the health care providers´ knowledge, attitude and practices towards disaster and emergency preparedness at Ligula Regional Referral Hospital in Mtwara, Tanzania.MethodsA descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 94 health care providers; and a stratified sampling technique was employed to recruit the participants. Bivariate and multivariable regression analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 25.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA) to determine the association between independent and dependent variables. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results More than half 50 (53.2%) and more than three-quarters 75 (79.8%) of the participants had adequate knowledge and positive attitude towards disaster and emergency preparedness respectively. Younger participants aged 20–29 years had 5.252 (95% CI 1.313–21.016) times higher odds of having adequate knowledge of disaster and emergency preparedness than the older groups. ConclusionsMore disaster and emergency preparedness training programs and clinical simulations are needed to enhance the competencies of health care providers in handling disastrous events efficiently.Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2023;6(3):303-314

Community Preparedness Education and Training Program in Facing Earthquake Disasters: literatur review

Disasters due to earthquake natural events can have an impact on the community so that people who live in disaster-prone areas are the most disadvantaged parties. The community as a disadvantaged party must be equipped with disaster preparedness, one of which is a disaster risk reduction program. The purpose of this scooping review is to determine the description of the implementation of the earthquake disaster preparedness education and training program in the community. This research is a scooping review using Prisma flow chart in its implementation. The results of this study showed significant results in all articles (n=10) in improving community preparedness in earthquake disaster risk reduction. The methods used were the latest methods (virtual reality, animated videos, and games) and manual methods (lectures, discussions, and reading) with material on disaster concepts, management, and first aid. This research concludes that the role of the community and the importance of disaster preparedness education for the community is very important to be provided by conducting the latest or modern methods for more effective results.

Disaster Training–How Much Educational Impact Does it Really Have?

Introduction:In Singapore, disaster training and preparation are taken seriously. Many exercises and training sessions have been planned and run yearly with the hope of being able to respond effectively to an emergent disaster. This presentation aims to evaluate the effectiveness of our training programs to determine if the learner participants are equipped to manage disasters when they happen based on their learning objectives.Method:The disaster training programs that Singapore General Hospital participates in, both nationally and internally, were analyzed based on Bloom’s taxonomy for educational objectives. At the lowest level, the learner demonstrates the ability to remember the facts that he learned, followed by understanding the concepts, applying the information, analyzing the learning undertaken, evaluating his performance, and creating new methods to learn or train to improve his performance.Results:Based on the analysis of the various exercises and training sessions, most learning objectives are pegged to the remembering to application levels (90%) while very few participants, especially the instructors and evaluators (<10%) may achieve learning objectives of being able to analyze and evaluate the training sessions. As disaster training involves multiple interprofessional teams there is also a risk of rapidly diminishing retention of knowledge and skills over time because of the high turnover of manpower especially from residents and medical officers who are attached to the departments for a few months.Conclusion:There is room for more targeted disaster training aimed at more participants and with learning objectives determined at the higher level of Bloom’s taxonomy, at least to achieve the ability to analyze and evaluate one’s performance for improvement. Creating opportunities for more participants to be able to do that would be a challenge.

Evidence Mapping Survey on Professional Development Programs and Courses in Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management

Introduction:A prepared and well-trained workforce is essential to reducing the loss of lives from health emergencies. However, it is uncertain what should be included in the common set of core competencies for the health emergency and disaster risk management (Health EDRM) workforce. The objective of the study is to provide evidence mapping for the competencies in existing professional development programs and courses in Health EDRM.Method:A survey conducted using an online platform (Survey Monkey) was conducted from October to November 2021. Experts in the Health EDRM Research Network including experts identified for the Delphi studies were invited to join the study. Participants should be ≥ 18 years of age, and had relevant experience in Health EDRM and in disaster education and training programs. A self designed questionnaire containing 28 questions in four domains including competencies; curriculum; evidence gaps; work and personal details were used.Results:There were 65 respondents from 20 countries participating in the survey. Most of the respondents worked in academic institutions (60%), followed by government employees (19%), and non-governmental organizations (7%). These organizations have roles throughout the disaster cycle with 95% in the preparedness phase. For management skills, EDRM managers should be competent in planning, organizing, applying management processes, establishing effective communication systems and providing effective leadership. For technical competencies, emergency communications, hazard specific knowledge, communicable diseases were essential for frontline workers. In terms of designing the competency matrix, WHO resources were frequently used for the competencies and the curriculum design.Conclusion:Health EDRM managers are expected to master a large number of managerial and technical skills, including the increasingly recognized leadership and decision-making skills for effective planning and implementation. These competencies need to be established for the development of a Health EDRM workforce.

Issues of the Nuclear Disaster Core Facility Through Nuclear Disaster Training

Introduction:In addition to national nuclear disaster training, local training is conducted once a year to identify issues with training.Method:The facility is located in the urgent protective action planning zone (UPZ), an exposure medical facility was built in 2015 and has conducted four trainings so far. The fifth training was conducted this time to develop human resources (training), manage equipment and materials, receive medical teams, collaborate with the Advanced Radiation Medical Support Center, review manuals, and inform local residents.Results:There are currently eleven nurses registered as nuclear disaster response nurses at the facility, and two nurses participate in the national nuclear disaster training program each year. On the other hand, unlike physicians and other professionals, the number of nurses enrolled for reasons such as relocation has not increased. The facility also functions as a core hospital in the event of a disaster, and currently has about 30 nurses who are willing to be dispatched in the event of a disaster. It was found that even in core facilities for nuclear disaster response, awareness of nuclear disasters within the facilities is low and few personnel are willing to work there. Previous studies have shown that they are anxious about radiation, the possibility of late effects from low-dose exposure, and concerns about the genetic effects of exposure and its effects on themselves in nursing.Conclusion:As a core facility for nuclear disasters, issues were reported on and identified through training, such as human resource development, management of materials and equipment, and review of manuals.

Knowledge, Perceptions, and Practices on Risks and Disasters Among Medical Students. A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in 9 Latin American and Caribbean Countries.

The objective of this study was to describe the level of knowledge, perceptions, and practices in relation to risks and disasters in medical schools in Latin America and the Caribbean. Multicenter, observational, analytical, non-probabilistic convenience sample study with 2546 medical students in 9 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. An online survey was conducted between October 2020 and November 2020, using an instrument validated in each country to assess knowledge, perceptions, and practices regarding risk and disaster prevention measures. Frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation (SD) were used for descriptive analysis. Differences resulting from the relationship between the variables studied and the level of knowledge were obtained using the Chi-square test. P-value <0.05 was accepted as statistically significant for all analyses. The highest proportion of responses came from women, third-semester students, and those studying in public universities. Students from Colombia and Honduras had the highest percentage of high levels of knowledge about disasters, while Peruvian students had the highest percentage of low levels of knowledge. Women and students from public universities showed a higher proportion of high levels of knowledge. 52.7% considered that they live in a country with a medium risk of natural disasters, while 91.2% said that Latin American and Caribbean countries are not prepared to face natural disasters. Only 43.6% believe they are prepared to help in the event of a natural disaster. Most of medical students from Latin America and Latin America and the Caribbean have high and medium level of knowledge in risks and disasters. However, the implementation of disaster training programs for medical students has the potential to improve the preparedness, knowledge, and skills that are important for medical personnel to improve their self-confidence, and their ability to respond, resulting in more effective systems.

Report on the Project on the Implementation of Continuity Operations in Disaster-Affected Healthcare Facilities Using Gensai Calendar HDMG and COOP Flow Diagram

Based on the lessons learned from past disasters, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has notified the establishment of disaster base hospitals and ensured medical care continuity based on business continuity plan (BCP). Following these, we created a disaster management training program with 45 items, the Disaster Mitigation (Gensai) Calendar for Healthcare Disaster Management Guide (HDMG)* (“Gensai Calendar”) in 2018. Thereafter, a three-year multicenter project was launched at the Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital Organization to introduce the “Gensai Calendar” and assess its merits as a self-learning material through tests based on it. The project also aimed at establishing a common operating procedure (COOP) for medical continuity at affected healthcare facilities using annual comprehensive disaster drills. The numbers of participants and hospitals recruited for the test over the three-year period were 4,281 in six hospitals, 6,179 in ten hospitals, and 6,216 in seven hospitals. The total of 55 questions were asked in the e-learning format in the first and second years, and 11 in the third year. Questions with less than 70% correct rate were same for three years. Through the drills, a COOP flow diagram was constructed based on the initial responses in the wards. Furthermore, the crisis management system of each hospital was unified, and each BCP was revised into a standard document along the “COOP Flow Diagram.” A COOP system combining the “Gensai Calendar” learnings, annual “COOP Flow Diagram” drill, and standard documentation can be a viable system for medical continuity. This system could also be versatile and introduced to many healthcare facilities. * This is also the abbreviation for the Hiroo Disaster Management Group, which has a double meaning. The group consists of disaster prevention staff from the Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital, Komagome Hospital, and Bokutoh Hospital, and is responsible for planning and managing disaster mitigation measures.

Disaster Planning Intentions of Tourism Accommodation Managers: Understanding the Influence of Past Disaster Experience and Disaster Management Training

Tourism is one of the most vulnerable industries to disasters, and empirical studies on disaster preparedness have been surprisingly sparse. Drawing on the theory of planned behavior, this study sheds light on the unexplored mediating role of strategic decision-makers’ (SDMs) disaster cognition along with their attitude to explicate how and why learning influences disaster planning. Hypotheses were tested using two-phase survey data collected from 301 SDMs of Sri Lankan accommodation establishments. Clarifying previous inconsistent findings regarding the role of learning, this study demonstrated that training and past disaster experience indirectly influenced SDMs’ planning intentions via their disaster cognition and attitude toward disaster planning. In this regard, past experience was found to regulate the relationship of training with both cognition and attitude, implying that disaster training programs may be more influential for encouraging disaster planning intentions of lesser experienced SDMs by stimulating their disaster cognition and attitude.

Effectiveness of the virtual reality chemical disaster training program in emergency nurses: A quasi experimental study

BackgroundIn Taiwan, 50 % of the chemical disasters in the last decade were industrial accidents. The leakage of industrial toxic chemical substances may cause significant environmental pollution and harms. Taiwan's chemical disaster education and training mainly rely on simulation, which is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and costly. Tabletop drills are often used to as a substitute for simulations. However, tabletop drills lack a realistic presence. The 360° virtual reality (VR) transforms knowledge of disaster preparedness into audio-visual and other sensory experiences and allows participants to be physically immersed in an environment. PurposeThis study examined effectiveness of a “360° VR chemical disaster training program” on disaster preparedness and self-efficacy in ER nurses. MethodThis study used convenience sampling and quasi-experimental design with two-group repeated measures. Seventy-seven ER nurses were recruited with the experimental group (n = 32) receiving chemical disaster training through 360° VR and the control group (n = 35) receiving training through tabletop drills. Data were collected before, one week after and three weeks after the intervention. ResultParticipants in the experimental group were significantly younger and less experienced in disaster management than those in the control group. There were no between-group differences in the participants' self-assessment of chemical disaster preparedness and self-efficacy before the intervention. The intervention group showed significantly higher self-assessment chemical disaster preparedness scores than the comparison group (p < .05) one week after the intervention. However, no significant differences were found three weeks after the intervention. ConclusionThis study found that both 360° VR and tabletop drills improved preparedness and self-efficacy in chemical disasters among ER nurses. VR could be used for disaster preparedness training for nurses without prior disaster response experiences/ drills, whereas tabletop drills were more suitable for nurses with prior experiences. Both methods may effectively promote nurses' learning effectiveness and self-efficacy in chemical disaster preparedness.

Designing a disaster training program and examining its impact on the level of competence of nursing students

INTRODUCTION: Core competencies required for a nurse to be ready for disaster response. The gaps in education make it difficult to recruit nurses prepared to respond to a disaster. The aim of this study was to design a disaster preparedness training program and examine its impact on the level of competence of nursing students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was used for 50 nursing students in semester 8 randomly assigned to the experimental and the control groups. A disaster educational program for nursing students was developed based on Harden’s model. First need assessment was done and then the goals of the program were determined in the next stage, the educational content was organized based on the priorities of the students and teacher recommendations. In the next stage, the program was implemented and finally, the evaluation was carried out. RESULTS: The mean age of the participant was 21.4 ± 2.14 and 57.1% of them were women. Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed a significant increase in disaster nursing competency after intervention (t = 12.37, p &lt; 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of the need and potential positive impact of disaster education opportunities for nurses.

13594 A survey of dermatologists’ preparedness for natural and manmade disasters

Natural and manmade disasters cause numerous dermatologic manifestations, such as secondary infections after a flood or irritation from blistering agents used in chemical warfare, requiring diagnostic acumen and management strategies. However, little is documented on the extent of dermatologists’ training on/about disaster situations. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate dermatologists’ preparedness for disasters and perceptions about the importance of disaster training. Of 1677 emailed, 256 completed the survey (n = 14 without, MDs/DOs were excluded; n = 242). Only 28.9% received training in disaster preparedness; based on chi-square tests, the likelihood of training did not significantly vary by practice type, age, or residency status. The majority of trained respondents would be comfortable caring for patients affected by natural events (78.2%), intentional chemical exposures (52.7%), and natural biological events (50.9%), but fewer were comfortable with unintentional chemical exposures (47.3%), intentional biological attacks (34.6%), and nuclear/radiological injuries (16.4%). Encouragingly though, 74.7% reported that disaster preparedness should be part of dermatology training. Among the 25% who felt disaster preparedness should not be included in residency training, the most common reasons were that it is not important and they have other educational priorities. These data show that a large percentage of dermatologists have not received disaster training. Even with training, many still feel ill-prepared to manage patients affected by disasters, especially nuclear/radiologic events, demonstrating that the dermatology community is likely inadequately prepared for a disaster. Yet, 75% reported that disaster preparedness should be part of dermatology training, highlighting the need and desire for a formal disaster training program.

The current status of disaster preparedness in Canadian trauma centers.

Mass casualty incidents (MCIs) put substantial stress on loco-regional resources, and trauma centers are critical to responding to these events. Our previous evaluation of Canadian centers helped to identify several weaknesses in disaster responsiveness. In this analysis, we determined the current state of MCI readiness across Canada and how this has changed over time. A multinational cross-sectional survey-based study on MCI preparedness was performed, including 24 Canadian trauma centers. Surveys were completed anonymously online by representatives of each facility. Responses from Canadian centers were examined and compared to previous findings to assess temporal changes in institutional capacity. Fifteen (63%) trauma centers responded, 100% of which had a disaster committee. Sixty percent had a single all-hazards emergency plan, and 71% performed a practice drill in the last two years. Sixty-two percent had communications systems designed to function during an MCI. Ninety-two percent had a triage system in place, and 54% of centers could monitor surge capacity. Half (54%) reported back-up systems for survival essentials, but the capability for prolonged operation during a disaster was limited. A minority (15%) had a database denoting staff with emergency training, although half (54%) had disaster training programs. Comparison to past data showed an increased prevalence of committees dedicated to disaster preparedness and disaster drills but worsened external stakeholder representation and poor ability to provide a prolonged response to crises. Our results demonstrate that MCI preparedness is a growing focus of Canadian trauma centers, but that there are deficiencies that remain unaddressed. Future efforts should focus on these vulnerabilities to ensure the provision of a robust disaster response. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3b (prevalence study, limited population).

Developing a Disaster Management Education and Training Program for Children with Intellectual Disabilities to Improve “Zest for Life” in the Event of a Disaster - A Case Study on Tochigi Prefectural Imaichi Special School for the Intellectually Disabled –

In this study, we first discuss the current status and issues of disaster management education in the context of special support education in Japan, in view of the casualties of those with disabilities during major past earthquakes in Japan. We highlight that there are very few examples of practical implementation of, instructional material for, or previous studies on disaster management education for disabled children, or an established systematic instructional method. As a result, disaster management education tailored to the specific type of disability has been implemented on a school-to-school basis among Special Support Schools for children with disabilities. In many cases, teacher-led evacuation drills have been considered disaster management education. This is an indication that the disaster management education currently practiced in Special Support Schools is inadequate to achieve the goal of “fostering the attitude of acting on one’s initiative” as set forth by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). In view of the situation in Japan, where casualties due to natural disasters continue to occur frequently since the Great East Japan Earthquake, it is urgent that we promote practical disaster management education to foster the Zest for Life among disabled children. This paper is a case study of disaster management education that targets those with intellectual disabilities, which is the largest reported disability type among children enrolled in Special Support Schools in Japan. We applied the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) process in instructional design to develop an earthquake disaster management program designed to heighten the capacity of disabled children to foresee and circumvent danger to themselves, so as to protect their lives from large earthquakes which occur frequently in Japan. Specifically, the objective is to apply the earthquake disaster management education program, developed by the authors in a previous study, to children with intellectual disabilities. To this end, we implemented the program at the target school and verified its educational effect while taking into consideration the degree or condition of disability and the learning characteristics of the intellectually disabled and developed a valid program for intellectually disabled children. The program allows the teachers of Special Support Schools to practice disaster management education in the context of daily classroom study with students without the need to dispatch a disaster management expert to the school each time a program is implemented. Additionally, the program can be customized by the onsite teacher for individual schools, which can lead to a systematic program in disaster management education. In addition, we propose a framework to establish a network of stakeholders, including disaster management experts or organizations and educational institutions to effectively and strategically promote disaster management education. This framework makes it possible to implement the present program the most impactful way, and to maximize the benefits to the schools in Tochigi prefecture.

Development and evaluation of a multimodality simulation disaster education and training program for hospital nurses.

To develop a multimodality simulation program for hospital nurses to enhance their disaster competency and evaluate the effect of the program. The program implementation started in October 2016 and ended in December 2016. It was developed using the ADDIE model (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation). Evaluation consisted of formative assessment and summative assessment. Formative assessment was performed during triage, crisis management, and problem-solving simulation programs through direct feedback and debriefing from the teacher. Summative assessment was performed using the Kirkpatrick curriculum evaluation framework. Needs assessment using the modified Delphi survey resulted in these competencies for hospital disaster nursing: triage, incident command, surge capacity, life-saving procedures, and special situations. Each competency was matched with the appropriate simulation modalities. A total of 40 emergency nurses participated in the study program. The evaluation of the program resulted in improvement in perception, crisis management, problem solving, and technical skills in disaster nursing. Multimodality simulation training program was developed to enhance the competency of hospital nurses in disaster response. All participants improved their disaster response competencies significantly. The program that was developed in this study could be used as a fundamental tool in future research in disaster curriculum development.

Identifying Crucial Equipment and Skills Needed to Evacuate Critically Ill Infants During Disasters: Using Nursing Expertise to Guide Training Targets.

Unexpected disasters, such as earthquakes or fires, require preparation to address knowledge gaps that may negatively affect vulnerable patients. Training programs can promote natural disaster readiness to respond and evacuate patients safely, but also require evidence-based information to guide learning objectives. There is limited evidence on what skills and bedside equipment are most important to include in disaster training and evacuation programs for critically ill infants. An expert panel was used to create a 13-item mastery checklist of skills for bedside registered nurses (RNs) required to successfully evacuate a critically ill infant. Expert nurses were surveyed, and the Angoff method was used to determine which of the mastery checklist skills a newly graduated nurse (ie, the "minimally competent" nurse) should be able to do. Participants then rated the importance of 26 commonly available pieces of bedside equipment for use in evacuating a hemodynamically unstable, intubated infant during a disaster. Twenty-three emergency department (ED) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) charge RNs responded to the survey with a mean of 19 (SD = 9) years of experience and 30% reporting personal experience with evacuating patients. The skills list scores showed an emphasis on the newly graduated nurse having more complete mastery of skills surrounding thermoregulation, documentation, infection control, respiratory support, and monitoring. Skills for communication, decision making, and anticipating future needs were assessed as less likely for a new nurse to have mastered. On a scale of one (not important) to seven (critically important), the perceived necessity of equipment ranged from a low of 1.6 (breast pump) to a high of 6.9 (face mask). The individual intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.55 showed moderate reliability between raters and the average team ICC of 0.97 showed excellent agreement as a group. Experts rated the ability to manage physiological issues, such as thermoregulation and respiratory support, as skills that every nurse should master. Disaster preparedness activities for nurses in training may benefit from checklists of essential equipment and skills to ensure all nurses can independently manage patients' physiologic needs when they enter the workforce. Advanced nursing training should include education on decision making, communication during emergencies, and anticipation of future issues to ensure that charge and resource nurses can support bedside nurses during evacuation events.