SAFETYLIT WEEKLY UPDATE

We compile citations and summaries of about 400 new articles every week.
RSS Feed

HELP: Tutorials | FAQ
CONTACT US: Contact info

Search Results

Journal Article

Citation

Alzahrani F, Yiannis K. BMJ Open 2017; 7(4): e013563.

Affiliation

School of Health Sciences, University of London, London, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013563

PMID

28400457

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess hospital emergency nurses' self-reported knowledge, role awareness and skills in disaster response with respect to the Hajj mass gathering in Mecca.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional online survey with primary data collection and non-probabilistic purposive sample conducted in late 2014. SETTING: All 4 public hospitals in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. PARTICIPANTS: 106 registered nurses in hospital emergency departments. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Awareness, knowledge, skills and perceptions of emergency nurses in Mecca with regard to mass gathering disaster preparedness.

RESULTS: Although emergency nurses' clinical role awareness in disaster response was reported to be high, nurses reported limited knowledge and awareness of the wider emergency and disaster preparedness plans, including key elements of their hospital strategies for managing a mass gathering disaster. Over half of the emergency nurses in Mecca's public hospitals had not thoroughly read the plan, and almost 1 in 10 were not even aware of its existence. Emergency nurses reported seeing their main role as providing timely general clinical assessment and care; however, fewer emergency nurses saw their role as providing surveillance, prevention, leadership or psychological care in a mass gathering disaster, despite all these broader roles being described in the hospitals' emergency disaster response plans. Emergency nurses' responses to topics where there are often misconceptions on appropriate disaster management indicated a significant knowledge deficit with only 1 in 3 nurses at best or 1 in 6 at worst giving correct answers. Respondents identified 3 key training initiatives as opportunities to further develop their professional skills in this area: (1) hospital education sessions, (2) the Emergency Management Saudi Course, (3) bespoke short courses in disaster management.

CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations are suggested to help enhance clinical and educational efforts in disaster preparedness.

Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.


Language: en

Keywords

Disaster Preparedness; Emergency Nursing; Hajj; Mass gathering; Saudi Arabia

NEW SEARCH


All SafetyLit records are available for automatic download to Zotero & Mendeley
Print