Senior Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Disaster Preparedness: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

AbstractObjectiveThis descriptive study aimed to determine the disaster preparedness of a senior class of undergraduate nursing students.MethodsThe study sample was composed of 73 undergraduate nursing school students from Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected by using a questionnaire developed by the researchers and were evaluated with descriptive statistics.ResultsMore than half (56.1%) of the students stated that the disaster competencies of nurses should include leadership, manager, and coordinator skills; 42.4% of them indicated the competencies of decision-maker, critical thinking, autonomy, and planning skills. Regarding education, 56.4% of the students considered their education on disaster nursing as “efficient”; however, 35.9% of them considered their education as “partly efficient” or “inefficient.”ConclusionsMany correct concepts related to the definition, features, competencies, and roles of disaster nurses were stated by students. However, low percentages and insufficient statements showed low preparedness for disasters. Curriculum development or redesign is necessary to include content and clinical experiences related to disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:557–561)