Strengthening and preparing: enhancing nursing research for disaster management

Area of Science:

• Disaster Nursing
• Emergency Preparedness
• Research Capacity Building

Background:

• Nurses are critical first responders during large-scale emergencies and disasters.
• The Asia Pacific Emergency and Disaster Nursing Network (APEDNN) identified a need for enhanced research skills among its delegates.
• Existing research capacity among nurses in disaster response requires targeted development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a tailored research capacity building course for APEDNN nurse delegates.
• To assess the course's effectiveness in preparing nurses for disaster response research.
• To foster collaborative research and mentoring relationships within the network.

Main Methods:

• A three-week research capacity building course was delivered to 23 nurse delegates from 19 countries.
• The curriculum focused on research critique and conduct.
• Post-course, a collaborative study on nurses' disaster preparedness was designed and is being implemented, supported by formal mentoring.

Main Results:

• Participant delegates highly rated the course's planning, implementation, and content.
• A collaborative study investigating nurses' disaster preparedness was successfully designed and initiated.
• Formal peer and facilitator mentoring relationships were established to support research implementation.

Conclusions:

• The research capacity building course was highly effective in enhancing nurses' research skills for disaster response.
• Collaborative study design and formal mentoring are key outcomes for sustained research capacity.
• Continued funding for blended mentoring and publication workshops is recommended to ensure long-term success.