title: Senior Undergraduate Nursing Students' Perceptions of Disaster Preparedness: A Descriptive Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This descriptive study aimed to determine the disaster preparedness of a senior class of undergraduate nursing students.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample was composed of 73 undergraduate nursing school students from Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected by using a questionnaire developed by the researchers and were evaluated with descriptive statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than half (56.1%) of the students stated that the disaster competencies of nurses should include leadership, manager, and coordinator skills; 42.4% of them indicated the competencies of decision-maker, critical thinking, autonomy, and planning skills. Regarding education, 56.4% of the students considered their education on disaster nursing as "efficient"; however, 35.9% of them considered their education as "partly efficient" or "inefficient."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many correct concepts related to the definition, features, competencies, and roles of disaster nurses were stated by students. However, low percentages and insufficient statements showed low preparedness for disasters. Curriculum development or redesign is necessary to include content and clinical experiences related to disasters. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:557-561).
authors.affiliation: Zirve University Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing Department, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurhan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bayraktar
authors.affiliation: Duzce University, School of Health Nursing Program, Duzce, Turkey.
authors.forename: Meral
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yıldırım
keywords: disasters; nursing; nursing education