Nurses in disaster, the ICN perspective: A scoping review

To review the literature on nurses' competencies across disaster phases based on the International Council of Nurses' perspective and to identify knowledge gaps.

Disasters, intensified by climate change, challenge the healthcare systems. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasises the need to reduce disaster risks and enhance resilience. Nurses are crucial in disaster management, providing critical care in emergency departments that operate continuously to treat the casualties. Beyond basic clinical skills, nurses need comprehensive competencies to respond to disasters effectively. The International Council of Nurses developed a disaster nursing competency framework in 2019; however, consensus and integration into practice are needed.

Following the JBI's PRISMA-SCR guidelines, a three-stage search strategy was used across the PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. The research question was formulated using the population, concept, and context (PCC) frameworks.

From 816 studies, data from 18 studies (1991-2022) across 13 countries were analysed, identifying 19 disaster nursing competencies and 76 interventions aligned with the ICN's eight domains. New competencies include family involvement during crises and spiritual care during and after disasters. Emphasis is placed on psychological skills to support injured individuals and address community psychosocial needs.

This review maps the current literature on disaster nursing competencies, highlighting essential competencies and interventions while identifying knowledge gaps. New skills, such as family involvement and spiritual care, are emphasised. Psychological knowledge is crucial for addressing psychosocial needs of patients. Further consensus and integration of these competencies into nursing practice are necessary to improve disaster management and resilience in healthcare systems, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.