Beyond Bedside Care: Reframing Disaster Nursing Education as a Health System Resilience Strategy

The increasing frequency and complexity of disasters are placing unprecedented demands on health systems and the nursing workforce. Despite nurses playing a central role in disaster preparedness and response, disaster-related competencies remain inconsistently integrated into nursing education. This gap should be viewed not merely as an educational issue, but as a matter of health system resilience. Future disaster-ready nurses require competencies extending beyond clinical care, including leadership, systems thinking, ethical decision-making, and interprofessional collaboration. Competency-based education, simulation training, and emerging digital technologies may help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world practice. Reframing disaster nursing education as a health system resilience strategy may strengthen preparedness and ensure that nurses are equipped not only to respond to crises, but also to lead through them.