Determining the disaster preparedness levels of nurses

The study was descriptive in nature, aiming to determine nurses' levels of belief in disaster preparedness and the factors influencing them. The population of the study consisted of 457 nurses working at Kırşehir Training and Research Hospital, and the sample included 400 nurses who voluntarily agreed to participate. Data were collected using a socio-demographic characteristics questionnaire and the General Disaster Preparedness Belief Scale. The mean age of the participating nurses was 32.55 years, and 56% of them were married. The average score for nurses' General Disaster Preparedness Belief Scale was determined to be 122.36±8.74. Nurses who were aware of disaster plans, participated in drills, and knew the disaster manager had significantly higher preparedness scores. A significant difference was observed only in the "perceived barriers" subscale according to education level and in the "self-efficacy" subscale according to income level. As the years of professional experience increased, a significant difference was found particularly in the "cues to action" subscale. However, it was determined that receiving disaster training or taking a disaster nursing course did not have a significant effect on the scale scores.In conclusion, the disaster preparedness levels of nurses were generally found to be moderate. Hospital disaster plans should be actively implemented.