When Disaster Strikes: a Training Intervention to Improve Nurses' Confidence and Preparedness for the Surge

Author

Nichole M. Weber, Valparaiso UniversityFollow

Date of Award

5-7-2018

Degree Type

Evidence-Based Project Report

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Jeffrey Coto

Abstract

There has been an exponential rise in mass casualty incidents (MCI) internationally. These human induced and naturally occurring events have affected over 4.6 billion people, and are not discriminatory to region or community (World Health Organization, 2011). Governing bodies require training and education, but nurses continue to report suboptimal competence and self-reported readiness, and a need for standardized, evidence-based training remains. The purpose if this evidence-based practice project is to authenticate current research supporting implementation of competency-based education, to improve nurses’ self- perceived preparedness and confidence in their ability to respond to MCI. The project results can be utilized for development of standardized disaster training with a focus on MCI. Eight articles were selected for critical review and appraisal utilizing the John Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice (JHNEBP) evidence rating scale and the John Hopkins Evidence Based Practice (JHEBP) Research Evidence Appraisal Tool. Strength of the articles were level one through three and were high or good quality. Kurt Lewin’s Change Theory was used as the driving framework in a 22-bed Midwest emergency department which receives patients from several surrounding towns and cities ranging in complexity. All Emergency department nurses were invited to participate. A pretest was administered using a thirty-question modified Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire (EPIQ). All participants received a combination of both didactic, and hands on training including core disaster competencies, lecture materials, triage algorithms, and a hands on table top drill. Immediately following, the modified EPIQ was re-administered, a dependent t test was used to compare nurses’ self-perceived confidence and preparedness. Implications for practice will be discussed.

Recommended Citation

Weber, Nichole M., "When Disaster Strikes: a Training Intervention to Improve Nurses' Confidence and Preparedness for the Surge" (2018). Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports. 114.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/ebpr/114