Pediatric issues in disaster preparedness: meeting the educational needs of nurses-are we there yet?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Disaster Nursing
• Public Health Preparedness

Background:

• Children possess distinct physical, emotional, and developmental needs, increasing their vulnerability during disasters.
• Existing disaster preparedness programs often overlook the specific requirements of pediatric populations.
• A gap exists in specialized training for healthcare professionals addressing pediatric disaster scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a pediatric disaster preparedness program implemented for nurses in an urban Level 1 trauma center.
• To assess the program's impact on nurses' awareness of pediatric disaster issues.
• To evaluate the long-term retention of knowledge gained from the training.

Main Methods:

• A pediatric disaster preparedness program was delivered to pediatric nurses.
• Pre- and post-program surveys were used to measure awareness of pediatric disaster issues.
• Knowledge retention was assessed at a 2-year follow-up interval.

Main Results:

• Initial surveys indicated a significant lack of awareness regarding pediatric-specific concerns in disaster preparedness among participants.
• The program led to an immediate improvement in nurses' awareness.
• However, knowledge retention decreased to pre-program levels by the 2-year follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric disaster preparedness requires specialized training beyond general emergency protocols.
• Immediate knowledge gains from training are not sustained without reinforcement.
• Regular integration of pediatric disaster preparedness into ongoing hospital nursing education is essential for maintaining competency.