Mass Casualty Incident Simulation for a Small Space With Limited Resources

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Emergency Preparedness
• Disaster Management

Background:

• Effective disaster response requires nursing students to understand triage and management principles.
• Accelerated nursing programs face resource constraints (space, time) limiting traditional education.
• A need exists for accessible, practical training beyond the standard classroom setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an effective, low-resource mass casualty incident simulation for nursing students.
• To enhance nursing students' comprehension of triage and disaster management principles.
• To provide practical, hands-on experience within budget and space limitations.

Main Methods:

• A mass casualty incident simulation was designed for a small space and limited budget.
• The simulation was implemented within an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing program.
• Faculty and student evaluations were used to assess the activity's effectiveness.

Main Results:

• The simulation was effective in presenting key principles of triage and disaster management.
• Student understanding of disaster management principles was significantly enhanced.
• The activity successfully addressed the need for practical education within resource constraints.

Conclusions:

• A small-scale, budget-friendly mass casualty incident simulation is an effective educational tool for nursing students.
• This simulation enhances the understanding and application of triage and disaster management principles.
• Innovative educational strategies are vital for preparing nurses for mass casualty events with limited resources.