title: Readiness of hospital nurses for disaster responses in Taiwan: A cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Because patients in disaster areas require the most critical care, mobilising hospital nurses has become a pivotal strategy. Given the importance of disaster nursing training programmes, understanding how well prepared hospital nurses are to provide disaster care is vital.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper analyses the perceived readiness of hospital nurses for a disaster response and the factors influencing their report for work outside the hospital environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional research design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted at a military hospital in Taiwan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 311 registered nurses participated in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected on readiness for disaster responses using a 40-item researcher-designed, self-administered questionnaire found to have satisfactory reliability and validity. The questionnaire has four domains: personal preparation (16 items), self-protection (11 items), emergency response (6 items), and clinical management (7 items). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests and generalised linear models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of hospital nurses demonstrated poor readiness for disaster responses. Scores on the four domains were most associated with nurses' disaster-related training, experience in disaster response and emergency/intensive care experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that disaster-related training should be included in undergraduate programmes and continuing education courses to help hospital nurses recognise and improve their own readiness for disaster responses outside the hospital environment. Future research is needed to improve hospital nurses' disaster-response readiness in Taiwan and other countries.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Defence Medical Centre, Taiwan (ROC) No. 161, Sec 6, Min-quan E. Rd., Neihu Dist., Taipei City 11490, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: wctzeng@mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Wen-Chii
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Sciences and School of Nursing, National Defence Medical Centre, Taiwan (ROC) No. 161, Sec 6, Min-quan E. Rd., Neihu Dist., Taipei City 11490, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: fenpey@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Hsin-Pei
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Superintendent, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital Gangshan Branch, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: weitung2553@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Wei-Tung
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defence Medical Centre, Taiwan (ROC) No. 325, Sec. 2, Cheng-gong Rd., Neihu Dist., Taipei City 11490, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: chlin@mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chia-Huei
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, National Defence Medical Centre, Taiwan (ROC) No. 161, Sec 6, Min-quan E. Rd., Neihu Dist., Taipei City 11490, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: lichi@mail.ndmctsgh.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Li-Chi
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Taiwanese Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Association, Taiwan (ROC) No. 161, Sec 6, Min-quan E. Rd., Neihu Dist., Taipei City 11490, Taiwan, ROC; School of Public Health, National Defence Medical Centre, Taiwan (ROC) No. 161, Sec 6, Min-quan E. Rd., Neihu Dist., Taipei City 11490, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: lupai.safe@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taiwan (ROC) No. 45, Cheng Hsin St., Pai-Tou, Taipei City 11220, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: ch6143@chgh.org.tw.
authors.forename: Chun-Lan
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016529:Emergency Nursing / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: Continuing education; Disaster; Nurses; Nursing education and readiness