Progress in Disaster Science (Apr 2024)
Predictors of Bangladeshi registered nurses' disaster management knowledge, skills, and preparedness
Abstract
As a primary healthcare first respondent during disasters, Bangladeshi registered nurses (RNs) play a critical role in disaster management. This study assessed their knowledge, skills, and preparedness (KSP) for disaster management and examined the factors influencing their disaster KSP. Employing a cross-sectional design with a self-administered structure questionnaire containing the Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool (DPET), data were collected from 573 registered nurses in four metropolitan cities in Bangladesh. Results showed that RNs had moderate levels of knowledge (M = 4.00, SD = 0.76), skills (M = 4.27, SD = 0.75), and preparedness (M = 4.56, SD = 0.69) for disaster management. Statistically significant correlations existed between disaster preparedness and skills (r = 0.718) and between disaster knowledge and skills (r = 0.653). RNs whose curriculum has disaster management courses had statistically significantly higher disaster KSP than those who did not. Besides, RNs with BSc in Nursing (Post Basic) degrees had significantly higher disaster knowledge and skills than the RNs who completed four years of BSc in nursing degree. In addition, RNs working in the emergency unit had significantly higher disaster knowledge and skills than those without work experience in the emergency unit. Moreover, respondents who participated in disaster management training had significantly higher disaster skills than their counterparts. However, the senior RNs (≤ 40 years) had statistically significantly higher disaster preparedness than the young RNs (21–25 years). No significant association was found regarding RNs' gender, marital status, hospital types, and disaster experience with their disaster KSP. Along with disaster education, adequate disaster management training and drills are highly recommended to enhance RNs' disaster management capacity in Bangladesh.
