Nursing Instructor USC aiken Aiken, South Carolina, United States
Disclosure(s):
KELLY M. RUSSIN, RN, DNP, CHSE: No financial relationships to disclose
Abstract: A disaster is defined as a sudden event, being an accident or catastrophe, that causes great damage or loss of life. Unfortunately, new nursing graduates do not feel adequately prepared for a community disaster upon completion of their program of study. Real experience disaster management scenarios are not planned situations for learning, as a disaster occurs unexpectedly. This project aims to close the gaps of unpreparedness. The main purpose of this project is to increase disaster management preparedness and knowledge among senior nursing students, while increasing interprofessional collaboration and teamwork skills by working alongside other healthcare disciplines. Pre-briefing consists of an explanation of the disaster and its current location. Students are prebriefed on the triage and disaster management patient tagging method. Students arrive on the scene of the disaster and must quickly assess and triage patients. After assessments are performed, students have the opportunity to provide wound care and other interventions to the injured, while also making the decisions to transfer higher acuity patients to a higher level of care via a real ambulance. This project aims to be lifelike as live actors (student and faculty volunteers) role play the injured, community members and other healthcare personnel. In debriefing, students are given an opportunity to reflect on their thoughts and feelings about the simulation. A pre- and post-survey aim to determine increased student confidence and knowledge base regarding disaster preparedness.
Learning Objectives:
Describe the components of a disaster preparedness simulation scenario.
Verbalize the need for disaster preparedness simulation in nursing education.
List ways in which disaster preparedness simulation increases student self-confidence and willingness to participate in emergency situations.
