A.

TITLE

Research Title: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Nursing Students on Disaster

Preparedness

Authors: Aurelio, H., Bautista, B., Casimiro, R., Dichoso, N., Endaya, R., Ignacio, S., &
Mallari, C.

Date of Acceptance for Publication: January 21, 2022

Date of Submission for the Publication: December 6, 2021

Journal: Proceeding Series on Health and Medical Sciences

Journal Details: Volume Number: n/d

Issue Number: n/d
ISSN Number: n/d
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30595/pshms.v2i.218

B. INTRODUCTION

Main Problem: The insufficient disaster preparedness practices, knowledge, and

attitude among nursing students in the Philippines.

Background of the Problem: Because of its location, the Philippines is extremely

vulnerable to a variety of natural disasters. These catastrophes affect people's lives,
property, and access to healthcare, especially in hospitals, and they also pose serious
risks to the public's health. Hospitals play a vital role in rendering critical care both
during and after disasters, but experiences in the country and around the world have
brought to light issues like uncertainty and confusion in the disaster response process.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the critical role that healthcare
workers—particularly nurses—play in disaster response and has called for efforts to
protect healthcare facilities during disasters. Given the unpredictability of such events, it
is necessary to make sure nursing students are sufficiently equipped to handle
disasters.

Objectives of the Research:

1. To evaluate and characterize nursing students' present disaster preparedness
knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
2. To ascertain how nursing students' practices, knowledge, and attitudes regarding
disaster preparedness relate to sociodemographic information.
3. To offer knowledge that can be used as a foundation for future procedures and
initiatives meant to improve nursing students' readiness for disasters, in
cooperation with pertinent organizations and academic establishments.

Significance of the Study:

1. By filling in a significant knowledge vacuum on disaster preparedness among
nursing students, it guarantees that upcoming healthcare workers will be
well-prepared to handle emergencies.
2. Through the evaluation of nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices,
the research can pinpoint areas that require further development in disaster
preparedness curriculum and training.
3. The results can help create procedures and programs that improve nursing
students' readiness for disasters, strengthening communities and healthcare
systems in the process.
4. The implementation of evidence-based strategies to enhance the disaster
response capabilities of nursing students and healthcare professionals in the
Philippines can be facilitated through collaboration with pertinent agencies and
educational institutions.
 C. METHODOLOGY

Research Respondents: 507 nursing students from Nueva Ecija University of Science
and Technology's College of Nursing made up the research participants. Throughout the
study period, every respondent who was accessible was included using the total
enumeration sampling.

Research Design: A descriptive-correlational research design was used for the study.
The researchers were able to examine possible relationships between
sociodemographic characteristics and disaster preparedness elements in addition to
describing the present practices, knowledge, and attitudes of nursing students regarding
preparedness during disasters.

Appropriateness of the Design: This study is suited for the descriptive-correlational

method because it allows the researchers to collect detailed information on the
practices, knowledge, and attitudes of nursing students with regard to preparedness
during disasters. Furthermore, investigating relationships between sociodemographic
characteristics and elements of disaster preparedness can yield important information
for upcoming interventions and instructional initiatives.

Method for Data Collection: A four-part research questionnaire that was distributed to
respondents via Google Forms was used to gather data. The survey included sections
on sociodemographic profile, preparedness practices, attitude toward preparedness,
and knowledge of disaster preparedness. A 5-point Likert scale was utilized in the
questionnaire to collect data on respondents' perceptions and experiences.

Data Analysis: A consultant statistician assisted in the statistical analysis of the

gathered data. To properly analyze and present the data, the researchers totaled the
results and applied statistical methods. To be more precise, reliability was ensured by
utilizing Cronbach's alpha to evaluate the questionnaire items’ internal consistency.
Afterwards, relevant statistical techniques were employed to examine the connections
between sociodemographic factors and elements of disaster readiness. The data was
analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26, which guaranteed accuracy and
consistency in the results' interpretation.

D. RESULTS

1. Knowledge on Disaster Preparedness: All things considered, nursing students

showed a high degree of preparedness for disasters, especially when it came to
planning, warning systems, response mechanisms, public education and training,
and rehearsals. However, there were some areas, like resource base,
information systems, institutional framework, and vulnerability assessment,
where knowledge was comparatively low.

2. Attitude on Disaster Preparedness: When it came to affective and behavioral

aspects of disaster preparedness, the majority of nursing students showed
positive attitudes. In the cognitive component, there were marginally lower levels
of positive perception, suggesting certain areas in which perceptions of disaster
preparedness need to be improved.

3. Practices on Disaster Preparedness: In general, nursing students reported that

practices for disaster preparedness were adequate, especially in terms of
technological integration, social integration, and the ability to adapt both
physically and mentally. This suggests that students have dependable practices
because of frequent disaster drills held in their school, even though there may be
occasional lapses in mental and physical preparedness during actual disasters.

4. Correlation Between Profile and Disaster Preparedness: The knowledge and

sex variables showed a strong correlation, suggesting that women are generally
more knowledgeable about some aspects of disaster preparedness. All of the
 sociodemographic variables did not significantly correlate with attitude or
practices, with the exception of the year level, which did significantly correlate
with social integration.

E. DISCUSSION

The study's conclusions emphasize how crucial it is for nursing students to

receive training and education in disaster preparedness. Even though students'
knowledge, attitudes, and practices were generally high, there were some specific areas
where they could have done better, like vulnerability assessment and cognitive aspects
of attitude. The study also emphasizes how important it is for students to participate in
frequent disaster drills and exercises in order to improve their readiness for real-world
calamities.

Moreover, the association observed between sociodemographic variables and

disaster preparedness implies that specific factors, like gender, could impact students'
comprehension levels. The lack of significant correlations between other variables, such
as year level and residence location, suggests that focused interventions are required to
guarantee that all students are prepared to the same extent.

Overall, the study highlights how crucial it is for nursing students to receive
ongoing instruction, training, and drills in order to improve their preparedness for
disasters. Policymakers and educational institutions can better prepare upcoming
healthcare professionals to respond to disasters and build community resilience by
focusing on specific knowledge, attitude, and practice areas.
 F. APPLICABILITY OF THE JOURNAL FINDINGS TO THE NURSING
PRACTICE, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH:

1. Nursing Practice: The study emphasizes how crucial continuing education is for
improving nurses' readiness for emergencies. It emphasizes how important it is
for nurses to include family preparedness in their plans so that they can
concentrate on their work during emergencies.

2. Nursing Education: The results highlight the necessity of modifying nursing

curricula to fill in knowledge gaps related to disaster readiness. Disaster drills
and other experiential learning can better prepare nursing students for real-world
situations.

3. Nursing Research: The study advances nursing research by figuring out what
influences students' readiness for disasters. Subsequent investigations may
examine the efficaciousness of particular training interventions and the sustained
retention of disaster preparedness competencies beyond graduation.