Nurses in disaster, the ICN perspective: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Disaster Nursing
• Healthcare Resilience
• Public Health Emergencies

Background:

• Climate change intensifies disasters, challenging healthcare systems globally.
• The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights the need for disaster risk reduction and enhanced resilience.
• Nurses are vital in disaster management, requiring specialized competencies beyond basic clinical skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing literature on nurses' disaster competencies based on the International Council of Nurses (ICN) framework.
• To identify knowledge gaps in disaster nursing competencies across different phases of disaster management.
• To inform the integration of disaster nursing competencies into practice for improved healthcare system resilience.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review following PRISMA-SCR guidelines.
• Searches conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases.
• Research question formulated using the population, concept, and context (PCC) framework.

Main Results:

• Analysis of 18 studies (1991-2022) from 13 countries identified 19 disaster nursing competencies and 76 interventions.
• Competencies align with the ICN's eight domains, with new emphasis on family involvement and spiritual care.
• Psychological skills are crucial for addressing the psychosocial needs of individuals and communities affected by disasters.

Conclusions:

• The review maps current disaster nursing literature, identifying key competencies and interventions, including family involvement and spiritual care.
• Psychological knowledge is essential for effective disaster response and supporting community psychosocial well-being.
• Further consensus and integration of these competencies into nursing practice are needed to enhance disaster management and align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.