EFFECTIVENESS OF SIMULATION-BASED DISASTER TRAINING IN IMPROVING TRIAGE COMPETENCY AMONG NURSING STUDENTS

Abstract

Background: The need to save the lives of a significant number of patients at once can put a heavy burden on healthcare systems; consequently, disasters and mass-casualty incidents can become immediate. Nurses need speed in assessing, triaging, prioritizing, communicating, and teamwork. These skills can be taught in simulation-based learning where there is a safe environment in which nursing students can learn them.

Objective: The aim is to identify how effective disaster training by simulation may be in enhancing triage competency among undergraduate nursing students.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was adopted for this study. The undergraduate nursing students completed a baseline assessment evaluating their disaster-triage knowledge and clinical competency. Participants then underwent a structured, simulation-based disaster training program. Following the intervention, a post-training evaluation was conducted to measure changes in performance. A standardized knowledge test and an observational checklist were utilized to determine competency levels. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyze the collected data.

Results: The existing studies have shown that simulation-based training in disaster and triage can enhance triage knowledge, performance, disaster preparedness, and confidence of nursing students.

Conclusion: Disaster training conducted via simulation is a viable educational approach towards enhancing triage competency and disaster preparedness in nursing students. Realistic simulations and articulated debriefing should be included in nursing curricula.