Developing pre-registration nurses' resilience to mass casualty situations through the pedagogy of simulation

Abstract

Simulation has become a core component of nursing curricula worldwide. Within a three-year, pre-registration degree, typically students would not be exposed to disaster-type situations and it was believed that a well-coordinated simulation exercise could replicate this. It was hoped that the simulation would require students to think quickly on their feet and transfer acquired skills. Worldwide disasters, including the current novel coronavirus, have heightened the need for well-prepared, resilient health professionals capable of responding to many different types of emergencies, including mass casualty situations. The simulated event involved 80 adult field student nurses, 19 probationer police officers, 6 photojournalism students, two Welsh Ambulance paramedics, five staff from 203 Field Hospital, two St John Cymru Wales officers, one community first responder and six Fire and Rescue personnel. All these individuals came together to undertake a simulated emergency response to a mass casualty incident. Behaviours and clinical skills were observed throughout the event, along with interprofessional interactions.