Preparedness to disasters of nurses who works at Bezmialem Foundation University hospitals

This study was accomplished descriptively and cross-sectionally to determine the preparedness of the nurses working in Bezmialem Vakif University Hospitals. The study was carried out with a total of 430 nurses including 360 nurses working at Bezmialem Vakif University Medical Faculty Hospital (Vatan Campus) and 70 nurses working at Bezmialem Vakif University Dragos Hospital between the dates of 01.11.2018 - 01.02.2019. Data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form and the Basic Competence Scale of Nurses in Preparedness to Disasters. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate the data. The average age of the nurses participating in the study was found to be 26,06±6,05 and the average duration of the study was 6,24±5,86. It was found that 76.8% of the nurses were female, 64.8% of them were single, 38% of them were high school graduates, 31.7% were associate degree graduates and 28.2% were bachelor graduates. It was determined that 53.5% of the nurses were working as service nurses and 60.6% of them did not receive any training on disasters. 69% of nurses before the disaster, 90.1% of them during the disaster, 93.7% of them after the disaster stated that nurses have a role after disaster. The average point of the nurses' preparedness for disasters was 5,03±2,38 (min-max: 0-10). Hospital disaster plan knowledge status perception point average was found to be 4,27±2,53 (. (Min-max: 0-10). It is determined that disasters which the nurses see as highly probable as earthquakes and traffic accidents with 63.4% and disaster preparedness course is the most necessary course with 47.9% as disaster management course. It is found that the average point of Basic Competence Scale of Nurses in Preparedness to Disasters was 141.46 ± 32.48, the lowest subscale point was 11.49 ± 3.42 with critical thinking skills and the highest subscale point was 48.23 ± 12.21 with technical skills. It is found a positive and weak correlation between critical thinking skills and disaster preparedness (r = 0.170). A positive and weak correlation was found between special diagnostic skills and disaster preparedness (r = 0.197). The median values of occupational groups were found to differ from the bachelor graduate nurses according to the critical thinking skills sub-dimension (p = 0.027). In the study, the preparedness level of the nurses for disasters was found to be "moderate".