Nursing in sudden-onset disasters: factors and information that affect participation.
BACKGROUND
Little has been reported regarding the minimum conditions, information, and knowledge essential for dispatching nurses to join in sudden-onset disaster events from the viewpoint of nurses. This paper explores the issues and concerns that nurses faced when asked to respond to the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake event in Japan.


METHODS
A standardized written survey tool was developed using input from four nurses who had responded to the disaster event. Questionnaires that included both "yes" and "no" answers and multiple-choice answers were developed and sent to 823 nurses who worked in four hospitals.


RESULTS
A total of 477/823 (58.0%) questionnaires were completed and returned. Of the respondents to the questionnaire, 309 (62.1%) were qualified nurses, and 148 (37.9%) were students. Sixty-nine (15%) of the total 477 respondents participated in the disaster response to the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. Primary among respondents' concerns were that they should wait for their superiors or institutions to direct them to go "somewhere" and to do "something", and how far away from home would they be required to travel. Home responsibilities conflicting with disaster response were a common concern for respondents.


CONCLUSIONS
Managers should consider including the following conditions in disaster dispatch plans: (1) the dispatches should be made part of nursing duties; (2) the disaster plan should be constructed with organizations near disaster sites; and (3) clear directions regarding destination and expected activities should be provided to nurses.
Kyoto University Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, Yoshidakonoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan. mitani@pbh.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Satoko
S
Mitani
Kazutoshi
K
Kuboyama
Taro
T
Shirakawa
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004190:Disasters; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D009739:Nursing Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010560:Personnel Selection; D012066:Relief Work; D000078329:Workforce