Preparation of Nurses to Manage Emergencies: An Educational Focus

Prelicensure nursing education inadequately prepares nurses for emergency management, creating significant gaps between theoretic knowledge and practical emergency competencies despite nurses' vital role in emergency response. This article examines current evidence on educational strategies for preparing nurses to effectively manage emergency situations while identifying best practices that optimize patient outcomes and nurse competency. Three core competencies are essential for emergency nursing: caring for acutely ill patients, effective communication, and care coordination. Implementation challenges include nursing shortages, resource constraints, and scheduling difficulties. Comprehensive reform in nursing emergency preparedness education, advocating multidisciplinary, simulation-based approaches is urgently needed to bridge the theory-practice divide.