Determination of paramedic program students' disaster preparedness levels and willingness to work in disasters after graduation

Keywords: Paramedic, first and emergency aid program, disaster, disaster awareness, willingness to work in disasters In this study, a state university providing training in first aid and emergency area in Turkey (Düzce University) and one private university in (Beykoz University) to measure students attending the disaster level of knowledge and to determine the willingness of working in disaster after graduation. The study is an epidemiological study in the sample type. The data were collected using a 28-question survey prepared. The frequency of participation in the study was 87.95% (219 people). Of the 219 students participating in the study, 52.5% (n = 115) were female and 104 (n = 104) were male. When the reasons for choosing the first and emergency help program of the students were examined, (n = 153 people, 69.8%) preferred this program because they liked the profession. Only 9.6% of the students (n = 21) participated in any training related to disasters outside the school. 46.5% of students have disaster awareness. After graduation, 41.1% of students were willing to work in various types of disasters, while 27.7% were undecided to work in various types of disasters after graduation. The types of disasters that students want to work with after graduation are infectious and epidemic diseases (n = 117 people, 53.4%), CBRN (chemical, biological, nuclear, radioactive) (n = 107 people, 48.8%) and tsunami (n = 82 people, 37.4%) are caused by disasters. Students stated that they had the most suggestion that the lack of personal safety would negatively affect my willingness to work.