title: A Disaster Response and Management Competency Mapping of Community Nurses in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is widely accepted in many parts of the world thatcommunity nurses are of vital importance in various phases of disaster response and management. In China, however, it is not clear whether the Chinese community nurses are able to assume disaster-related duties due to the lack of a systematic assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pre-designed and well-tested questionnaire was employed to evaluate the competency in disaster response and management among 205 valid registered Chinese community nurses between September and October 2009. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS Version 13.0 using one way ANOVA, Least Significant Difference (LSD) and multiple stepwise regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This group of Chinese community nurses scored at an intermediate level of competency (a score of 3.68 (SD 0.48) out of a perfect score of 5) in disaster response and management, suggesting that they have the basic ability to participate in disaster-related nursing. Four factors, namely, Experiences in Disaster Relief, Participation in Disaster Training, the Age and Duration in Job, were identified to be the predominant factors contributing significantly to the integrated competency in disaster response and management of an individual.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of the Chinese community nurses have basic qualifications and competencies to undertake the responsibilities of disaster response and management. However, more targeted disaster training including virtual-reality based drills should be provided in order to improve their competency.
authors.affiliation: 1. School of Nursing, the Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: 2. Dept. of Health Statistics, the Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 3. Xinqiao Hospital, the Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Quan
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: 1. School of Nursing, the Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Na
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: 1. School of Nursing, the Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: 4. Kunming General Hospital of Chengdu Military Command , Kunming, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: 1. School of Nursing, the Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: 1. School of Nursing, the Third Military Medical University , Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Xian-Yuan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Community nurse !; Disaster; Public health nurse