Abstract
This study was made to analyze the learning of students of the guidance on public health in disaster for the subjects of students specialized in public health nursing. The educational system for the public health nursing in disaster has not been established yet and, in order to start the program, it required development of the educational objectives, teaching methods and materials for the curriculum. The teaching program conducted for this study was composed of the following contents. (1) Practice and group discussion based on the VTR titled "Activities of Public Health Nurses on the Site of Great Hanshin Earthquake" (recording of 3-month activities right after the occurrence). (2) Lecture on the basic knowledge of disaster medicine and nursing. (3) Deskwork simulation exercise for triage. (4) Deskwork simulation exercise for organizing an evacuation system and its presentation. These contents were taught in an intensive program for the total of 4 classes (360 minutes) in two days. An investigation was made in the form of questionnaires to see how much they have learnt and to get their comments, before, during and after the course, and analysis was done focusing on their understanding of the roles of public health nurses, on their knowledge of the disaster nursing, on their understanding of the triage, on changing of the measures of social attitude, on their thoughts for the teachings. Effects of the program were shown in the following points ; they got better understanding of practical activities of public health nurses at the time of disaster, they reconfirmed the way how the activities of public health nurses should be in normal condition, and they realized that they should take disaster relief and disaster preventive activities as a part of their own roles by connecting activities in disaster with those of ordinary circumstances. In the course of basic education for public health nurses, a consideration of disaster as one phenomenon resulted in indirect understanding of the principles and fundamental aspect of the roles and activities of public health nurses in ordinary times. It is effective to introduce the simulation method that assumed the disaster scene concretely, not only to teach the knowledge on disaster nursing but also to educate their ability of practical activity needed in disaster spot. And it is also essential to develop and devise audiovisual educational aids to help them visualize the circumstances in disaster and to provide other teaching materials to let them have creative thinking of countermeasures as if they themselves were experiencing the disaster.
