This paper examines the role that climate change has played in disasters in the United States, with a special emphasis on nurses’ roles in disaster management. Climate change has led to greater global warming, extreme droughts, more severe hurricanes, and rising sea levels that cause flooding. These disasters especially pose challenges for the poorest and most vulnerable, and they test the leadership of nurses in disaster and emergency management. In addition to educational initiatives, nurse leaders can provide credentialling and accreditation for those who need further specialization in disaster nursing. Indeed, nurses are critical educators, advocates, activists, and policy planners for initiatives that affect population health locally and globally.

Aim: This article explores the unique characteristics of disasters in Brazil and the current state of nursing education and training in disaster preparedness and response. It highlights the role of climate change in increasing the frequency and intensity of disasters, underscoring the need for enhanced primary health care, particularly in vulnerable regions.

Method: The paper reviews recent initiatives in nursing education, such as the incorporation of planetary health concepts and practical training in disaster management, to strengthen professional competencies and propose a structured reflection on the current state of discussions on the topic.

Results: Brazil faces diverse disasters, including natural events such as floods, droughts, and landslides, as well as public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. These events expose deep social and environmental vulnerabilities, positioning nursing as a strategic profession in mitigating impacts and promoting community resilience. The integration of innovative and sustainable practices in nursing is crucial to address global challenges effectively.

Conclusion: By aligning nursing practices with sustainability and equity, Brazil aims to improve disaster responses and promote resilience. However, challenges remain, including resource limitations and the integration of marginalized populations into health strategies. The development of nursing education and continued investment in health infrastructure are pivotal to achieving a sustainable and equitable approach to disaster management in Brazil.

With the global burden of disasters increasing in frequency and severity, it is essential that all countries explore and identify effective disaster risk reduction strategies. South Africa is especially vulnerable to the disastrous effects of climate change. Despite the development of landmark disaster policies over 20 years ago, equitable implementation strategies across South Africa remain lacking. This paper explores the current landscape of disasters and disaster reduction strategies within South Africa, as well as the current state of the nursing workforce, including curricula development, and international collaboration.

Japan has experienced many natural disasters. The increasing severity and frequency of natural disasters warns the limits of public support, especially the local government. Therefore, self-help and mutual support are necessary in addition to public support to prepare and to protect one’s own life by conducting personal preparation and helping community members before and after a disaster. Nurses have many roles to play in self-help, mutual support, and public support during disasters. The Code of Ethics for Nurses developed by the Japanese Nursing Association (JNA) states nurses’ roles during disaster and nurses have important roles in protecting the lives and health of people before and after a disaster. There are "disaster support nurses" and dispatched to disaster-stricken areas. Disaster support nurses are dispatched to any disaster-affected area to provide the necessary nursing care for local residents to maintain and ensure their health, and reduce the mental and physical burden. There is a certification system accredited by the JNA called Certified Nurse Specialists (CNS©). There are 39 CNSs in the field of disaster nursing and more disaster CNSs are needed. Strengthening disaster nursing education and research through international collaboration and higher education about disaster nursing are required to contribute to disaster-affected populations.

Climate change and health become the focus of disaster mitigation and adaptation worldwide. However, the role of Indonesian nurses within these two areas is still limited. One of the reasons is because they work in their units when there is no disaster. This means that activities for mitigation and preparedness even more related to climate change are often less noticed. The involvement of military nurses in disaster management gives more benefits. However, the focus is predominantly on the response phase. Although available disaster education and training for disaster nurses in Indonesia shows an improvement trend, it mainly emphasizes the skills and competencies needed in the response phase. Moreover, the current methods of training are considered to still lack realistic disaster experiences. Two solutions are offered to address the challenges. Firstly, bring more virtual or augmented reality in the disaster training or simulation. Secondly, adopt the sustainable disaster risk reduction training model for continuity of training and simulation from the macro level and governmental bodies to the micro level, such as health cadres and communities.

In 2024, the University of Derby in the United Kingdom hosted an international simulation challenge aimed at preparing students for the complexities of global public health emergencies. This interprofessional event involved students from nursing, allied health, social care, and public health disciplines across undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Featuring six simulated carousel scenarios, the design and delivery of the event highlighted the need for standardised frameworks to optimise simulation-based education (SBE) in nursing emergency disaster preparedness and humanitarian practice pedagogy.

A conceptual framework was developed to guide future simulations, ensuring consistency, safety, and measurable outcomes. While SBE is invaluable for skill development in this field, it also presents challenges, such as psychological stress, potentially inadequate real-world preparation, and the risk of fostering negative attitudes toward patients. To mitigate these, SBE must integrate technical skills with realism, empathy, communication, and relational care.

The proposed conceptual framework, based on UK practice, is potentially adaptable globally, promoting experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the appropriate use of technology. Its implementation can enhance preparedness and global healthcare response capabilities, providing a practical user-friendly guide for SBE facilitators, adaptable to various contexts and to be aligned with international competence standards.

Disaster nursing in Taiwan has evolved into a comprehensive discipline, addressing diverse health impacts caused by disasters and promoting effective community recovery. This paper presents the characteristics of disasters in Taiwan, current nursing education strategies, and training programs for both domestic and international participants. Additionally, it proposes recommendations to enhance disaster nursing education, emphasizing the integration of advanced technology and the promotion of international collaboration.

Liberia faces a variety of disasters, some of which are particularly problematic due to its socio-economic conditions, infrastructure limitations, and environmental factors. In an increasingly interconnected world, international training sessions and seminars have emerged as critical platforms for fostering global knowledge exchange, professional development, and collaboration across diverse sectors. These programs are designed to provide participants with specialized skills and insights in healthcare, sustainable development, while promoting cross-cultural understanding. This paper explores the growing trend of international training programs, with an emphasis on Liberia, by highlighting their key characteristics, types, benefits, and notable examples.

Australia is a well-resourced country with a universal health system that relies heavily on the nurse across primary and acute sectors. With the increase of natural disasters and recognition of new and emerging disaster events, the nurse needs to be better prepared than ever to step into a disaster response role. Currently, disaster nurse training is offered by some health districts but mainly relies on the nurse to self-initiate education at a post graduate level. It may therefore be time to consider change in undergraduate curriculum to incorporate an all-hazards disaster component. For the nurse, an all-hazards approach prepares them for various disaster and emergency events, focusing on common elements to enhance the nurse's overall readiness and response. As seen with the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses were placed in new challenging roles they had little preparation for and this direly affected resilience leaving the workforce burned out. At the undergraduate level, an all-hazards response can be tailored to address Australia's multicultural population and disaster priorities. Better prepared nurses equates to higher health workforce resilience for disaster events benefiting the Australian community.

Disasters, whether natural, technological or caused by human conflict, present significant challenges for health systems around the world, requiring a coordinated and effective response. Nursing plays a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of these events, contributing to prevention, response and recovery. In the current global scenario, marked by climate change, pandemics, geopolitical conflicts and socio-economic inequalities, the challenges faced by nurses have become more complex and multifaceted. Among the main obstacles are the lack of specific training in disaster management, the shortage of human and material resources, and the physical and emotional pressure faced by nurses in crisis scenarios. In addition, the need to adapt care to the cultural diversities and precarious health conditions of affected populations underlines the importance of a family-centered approach. This article explores the role of nurses in disaster response, analyzing challenges and proposing evidence-based strategies to improve preparedness and resilience. Greater integration of global policies, specialized training programs and emotional support systems is key to strengthening nursing’s ability to respond effectively to disasters in the contemporary context.

Aim: To assess immigrants’ disaster preparedness and determine the related factors.

Methods: Two authors independently searched PubMed, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Citation Information by the National Institute of Informatics, Japan Medical Abstracts Society, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Studies that investigated immigrants’ disaster preparedness or related factors and were published in English or Japanese up until August 31, 2022, were included. Studies about tourists and non-natural disasters were excluded. Sixteen studies were selected for quality assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools and the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. A narrative synthesis was conducted, and the factors were categorized thematically.

Results: Fourteen articles scored 80%–100% for quality assessments, and two scored 70% and 20%, respectively. Among immigrants, 9%–45% had emergency plans. The percentage of respondents who prepared disaster supplies were as follows: 0–66% (food), 18–73% (water), 27–50% (medication), 58–73% (radio), 60–74% (flashlights), 71–82% (blankets), 41% (spare batteries); and 6% (candles). Twenty factors were identified, which are categorized into the following sections: demographics (age, presence of children, country of origin, visa status, occupation, homeownership); disaster preparedness familiarity (previous disaster experiences, disaster knowledge, disaster training), subjective feelings (beliefs and perceptions, trust, feelings of responsibility), resources (time, financial capacity, transportation, access to resources, information), assistance from others (cooperative family members, social support), and language ability.

Conclusions: Demographics, disaster preparedness familiarity, subjective feelings, resources, assistance from others, and language ability were related to disaster preparedness. Targeted interventions are necessary to improve immigrants’ disaster preparedness.

Aim: One of the most crucial aspects of recovery and preparedness from natural disasters is that local citizens are the main actors. This study aims to clarify when and how partnerships between local citizens and supporting researchers were built toward recovery, reconstruction, and preparedness from natural disasters.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with researchers who had practical experience in supporting activities related to recovery and preparedness from natural disasters. A questionnaire was developed with reference to the seven core components of conducting community-based participatory research. The data were analyzed using the text mining software, KH Coder. First, the text data obtained through the quantitative analysis were reviewed, and then a qualitative analysis was conducted to verify the original data in light of the research objectives.

Results: Nine researchers participated in this study. By analyzing the relationship between the 13 codes along the axis of time, three phases were derived: (1) disaster relief initiation; (2) support continuation; and (3) relationship maintenance. The process of collaboration and cooperation between local citizens and researchers involves entering the field through organizations and institutions that are trusted by local citizens, listening to their voices through activities, and continuing to research common problems from the same perspective as the citizens. This relationship continued even after the research was completed.

Conclusion: Research during disaster recovery involves the integration of research and action, and researchers are required to adopt an ethical attitude that involves forming partnerships with citizens and conducting research.

Aim: This study aimed to summarize the health activities and risk reduction in municipalities affected by liquefaction damage during large-scale disasters and apply the findings to future disaster preparedness.

Methods: The study analyzed and summarized data based on case studies of earthquake-related materials and the testimonies of those involved. It extracted items related to the health activities of local governments and residents after the earthquake.

Results: When a large-scale disaster occurs, people are forced to evacuate and their lifelines are cut off, which can lead to the emergence of health problems. (1) Opening evacuation shelters, ascertaining the situation, and supporting people who have difficulty returning home (2) Management of evacuation shelters and consultation (3) Confirming the safety of people requiring assistance (4) Securing medical care and relief (5) Reducing health damage through preventative measures, It is necessary to systematically consider these issues from the perspective of quality of life.

Conclusions: Taking into account the geographical characteristics of the municipality and the daily lives of residents, it is important to protect their lives and health in cooperation with other departments and contribute to their quality of life over the medium to long term, as well as from the perspective of secondary prevention after a disaster. The enhancement of public health nurse activities during normal times can be utilized for reconstruction and community development during and after disasters.

Natural disasters continue to pose serious threats, causing significant damage and loss of life. The involvement of Filipino internationally educated nurses (IENs) has become increasingly important for effectively managing and responding to such crises. Although the healthcare industry plays a central role in disaster management, the specific contributions of IENs in this context have not been thoroughly examined. Additionally, the environmental implications of IEN recruitment point to the significance of their engagement in climate mitigation. Leveraging the HEAL Model—Help, Educate, Act, and Lead—IENs play crucial roles in training officials, educating peers, leading environmental initiatives, and advocating for policy changes. Their collaboration with volunteers during disaster situations underscores their effectiveness. The IENs, in collaboration with volunteers, bring substantial contributions to disaster nursing and are showcased through the HEAL Model, signifying their potential for enhancing disaster response and climate action endeavors.

The author worked in the disaster-stricken area of Noto Peninsula, Japan, in September 2024 as a volunteer nurse for two days. Through these activities, the author realized the importance of empathizing with the hardship and loneliness experienced by survivors.

Purpose: This presentation aims to analyze the status of disaster nursing education programs established in nurses’ continuing education, healthcare workers’ buildup programs, and degree education in Korea. Based on the analysis results, it proposes the future direction of disaster nursing education in Korea.

Approaches: The curriculum implemented for licensed nurses, healthcare workers, and nursing students in Korea was organized in chronological order. The operational status and main learning contents of were analyzed. Additionally, the adequacy and performance level of learning contents for nurse continuing education, were assessed based on the ICN core competencies in disaster nursing.

Findings: Nurse continuing education began in 2005 as part of the national disaster healthcare certification program for advanced practice nurses in Korea. Since 2010, the Korea National Medical Center has provided Korean-style integrated education for healthcare workers, and the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare has offered overseas disaster preparedness education followed. The number of schools that include disaster nursing in their bachelor’s degree programs has increased from 52.7% twenty years ago to 95% recently. However, very few nursing graduate schools offer disaster nursing as a subject. An analysis of the learning contents according to the ICN core competencies in disaster nursing showed that continuing education focused on preparedness and response nursing competencies. Learning achievement was measured after the course or before deployment through self-administered questionnaires using various self-developed measurement tools.

Implications: The role of the government in terms of national-level educational certification, the management of graduates/attendees, the measurement of prior competency before field deployment, and the development direction of measurement tools were discussed.

Introduction: Taiwan, situated at the junction of the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate within the seismically active Circum-Pacific Volcanic Belt, experiences frequent earthquakes. It’s crucial to implement the concept of emergency evacuation among the populace and strengthen the disaster response capabilities of local governments. This paper shares experiences of nurse participating in Taiwan’s NAP certification, focusing on the training course of medical teams for specialized search and rescue missions.

Methods: Specialized Search and Rescue Teams (SSART) excel in rescuing individuals from disaster environments. On-site medical stations and medical personnel deployment ensure appropriate medical care for rescued patients and team member. Specialized Search and Rescue Medical Team (SSARMT) needs more specific training. This study divided the SSARMT training course into four main aspects from November 2023 to April 2024. It includes 2 simulation tests and evaluated at the end of April.

Results: SSARMT training course is categorized into knowledge, skills, emotional, and physical aspects. The knowledge aspect emphasizes new insights such as USAR mission briefing, medical station setup, injury mechanisms, and medical knowledge. Skills training includes trauma management, equipment operating, and rope rescue techniques. Emotional support is crucial for coping with the severity of injuries, unexpected aftershocks, and providing robust psychological support. Physical endurance is necessary for executing medical care while wearing full safety gear at disaster sites. We passed the Taiwan NAP certification and became the 10th team in Taiwan.

Discussion: The caregiving model of disaster response requires training and practice. Nursing education emphasizes professional skills alongside humanistic qualities, empathy, and compassion. It’s recommended to strengthen the emotional and physical aspects. Individuals trapped in disaster sites undergo terrifying experiences impacting both physical and mental health. Specially trained nursing professionals can provide holistic care and support for the physical and psychological well-being of the injured, demonstrating the value of nursing across diverse settings.

Introduction: In 2019, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) published a revised version of the Core Competencies in Disaster Nursing, followed in 2022 by a supplement for nurses in Medical Emergency Teams. Both publications attracted considerable international attention. In contrast, in German-speaking countries the competency framework has hardly been recognized. A lack of awareness of the role of nurses in disasters and the lack of an adapted German version were identified as the reasons for this.

Approaches: Aim of this development project was to support the use of the ICN-Core Competencies in Disaster Nursing in vocational training and undergraduate nurse education in German-speaking countries. In particular, the idea that “every nurse is a disaster nurse” should be spread among educators and decision-makers in the participating countries.

Results: After the ICN gave its approval, the competency framework was translated and culturally adapted by Charité and endorsed by the professional nursing associations from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Various professional laws for nurses, health and disaster management systems and other linguistic and cultural specificities were carefully considered. After completion and approval by all partners involved, dissemination began. The German version of the ICN Core Competencies in Disaster Nursing was published online (2024) and sent directly to renowned nurse educators and decision makers, followed by cross-national webinars for the interested professional public.

Implications: These activities are expected to ensure that the ICN Core Competencies in Disaster Nursing are recognized and implemented in vocational and undergraduate education in the German-speaking countries to help the nurse workforce to better adapt to future disasters. In addition, they can also serve as a basis for further research activities in implementation and educational research, for curriculum development or for the development of culturally adapted assessment instruments.

Introduction and Purpose/Objectives: With the frequent occurrence of natural disasters, we have found the need to train community-based disaster mitigation nurses in silent phase, not just to train nurses to be dispatched after disasters occur. In Nagano Prefecture, we held a kickoff seminar and a three-part series of disaster mitigation seminars in 2022.

Here, the purpose is to clarify the significance of the training and future challenges from the performance of the eight trainees who participated in the seminar held in 2023 and the results of a questionnaire survey what made after the seminar.

Approaches/Methods: The seminar program was held face-to-face with group work. It was structured to connect participants to future activities such as learning about regional characteristics and disaster prevention systems, methods for learning about the community through simulation, fieldwork and presentation. It also brought human relationship between participants.

Target was 8 trainees, The questionnaire was distributed and collected for each seminar by e-mail.

In conducting the questionnaire, explained that individuals would not be identified, we would be presenting the results at academic conferences etc., and obtained their consent.

Results/Findings: From the survey results, the participants said that they would like to communicate with residents about disaster prevention on a regular basis and think about it together with them to minimize disasters, and to do what they can at evacuation centers in the event of a disaster. They also thought that human resource development is essential and would like to hold study sessions to raise awareness of disaster prevention in the community.

Discussion/Implications: The participants conducted fieldwork in four locations and considered the actual disaster prevention efforts in the community and the disaster prevention activities of nurses. They also discovered issues through interviews with residents, gained a concrete image, and were able to consider what is necessary to plan future activities and into practice.

Introduction: Nepal’s unique topography and climate make it highly susceptible to natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic introduced a new dimension of health emergencies. This report reflects on the author’s leadership experiences as a COVID-19 focal person in the government office of Kathmandu, Nepal while also examining the broader role of nursing in managing the pandemic.

Approaches: A narrative approach is employed, drawing extensively on the author’s firsthand experiences and observations as the designated COVID-19 focal person in Kathmandu, Nepal. To support the findings, data from relevant government reports and records from the Health Office in Kathmandu were incorporated.

Activities: A comprehensive strategy was implemented to manage the COVID-19 crisis in Kathmandu, Nepal. Key initiatives included conducting public awareness programs, establishing health desks at entry points, effectively managing quarantine facilities, building the capacity of the health workforce, mobilizing rapid response teams, and coordinating case investigation and contact tracing efforts. Additionally, the establishment of call centers for home isolation support, provision of psychosocial counseling services, and logistics management were crucial. Training for ambulance drivers, regular monitoring and supervision of entry points, quarantine and isolation centers, vaccine management, and addressing oxygen demands were also integral to the response. Nurses served as disaster management focal persons, coordinators, frontline workers, and providers of both clinical and supportive care. Despite these efforts, several challenges were encountered, including inadequate skilled human resources, lack of support from families and communities, insufficient logistical supplies, coordination difficulties, and the necessity for continuous adaptation to evolving pandemic conditions.

Discussion: The active involvement of nurses in various roles, such as leadership, governance, surveillance, outbreak investigation, coordination, and collaboration has proven to be crucial. This underscores the critical importance of nursing leadership in managing disasters and pandemics, particularly in resource-limited settings. The report emphasizes the necessity of robust healthcare systems, ongoing capacity building, and effective coordination mechanisms to ensure a comprehensive response to health crises. Additionally, successful pandemic management requires thorough field epidemiology training and a high level of self-motivation among healthcare professionals.

Conclusion: Nursing leadership is crucial in pandemic management, and the scope of disaster nursing should be expanded to include a more comprehensive approach to public health emergencies.

Introduction and Purpose/Objectives: Every time a disaster happens, people faces unexpected situations which need highly flexible and collaborative actions by all players and resources working together. Nevertheless, emergency collaboration is difficult and often works far unexpectedly especially in case that such collaboration is agreed as a special case for emergency.

Objective: The ACECC TC21 team investigated the cases of Ormoc and Tacloban in Leyte Island, the Philippines and identified its difficulty and confusion during and after disasters.

Methods: Key informants interview were conducted in the different levels of local governance in the two cities. Village leaders and city-level bureaucrats and key personnel of national government agencies participated in the qualitative study.

Results and Discussion: The common bottlenecks found on TDA were such as difficulties of coordination between central and local governments; lack of participation of residents; lack of personnel continuity in responsible public offices; lack of knowledge and information flows; difficulty of intragovernmental collaboration at emergency; lack of trusted local leaders; lack of community members’ mutual support network (social capital); lack of local S&T experts etc. Among them, intra-governmental coordination is central in alleviating all forms of suffering of disasters. Extreme events cross administrative and political boundaries. It requires pooling of financial and technical resources as well as expertise in an organized manner. Hence, collaboration is more critical and difficult under urgency, so that it should be developed, institutionalized and operated in normal time.

Introduction and Objectives: Disaster exercises provide an opportunity to evaluate response capabilities and identify problems in disaster preparedness. However, debriefing and questionnaires are often used for evaluation, which are insufficient for continuous improvement or comparative evaluation with other hospitals. The objective of this study was to collect various data during exercise and perform a quantitative analysis to evaluate response performance. This study also aimed to develop a computational model of hospital disaster response based on our analysis.

Approaches: We collected data during the annual exercise at a major Japanese hospital designed to respond to a mass casualty incident involving approximately 50 dummy patients and more than 100 staff. We tracked the flow of patients and documents by using NFC tags and smartphone applications. We analyzed the length of stay of each patient, the number of patients in each area, the accuracy of the triage, and compared the exercise performance over two years. We also developed a simulation model based on the analysis to simulate both normative and descriptive responses.

Results: We tracked the patient flow with our method; however, we could not track the document flow well. The analysis showed that while the triage accuracy was not significantly different, the length of stay and crowding in each area varied over the two years. We also performed test simulations and confirmed that the simulations replicated the exercise results.

Discussion: The performance measures used in this study are objective and quantitative; therefore, we can compare the results across years and hospitals. If many hospitals conduct the same analysis and share the results, disaster preparedness can be effectively improved, not only for individual hospitals, but also for regional communities. We also expect that computer simulations of normative responses can provide a benchmark for such cross-hospital evaluations.

Objectives: Digital Transformation (DX) is bringing innovation to disaster nursing education. This study aims to develop a higher-quality virtual simulation system using generative AI, computer graphics, large displays, projection mapping, and virtual reality, with a focus on disaster scenarios.

Methods: First, I used generative AI and natural language processing technology to develop a digital simulated patient capable of realistic dialogue. In addition, I used computer graphics to reproduce the realistic movements and facial expressions of a patient. I then investigated various exercises and practical training related to the development of a digital simulated patient in a specific disaster. Furthermore, in developing a digital simulated patient in a disaster, I actually used ICT to consider various digital transformations and digital content, and compiled ICT-related information that can be used in four categories: communication with patients and users, physical assessment of patients, clinical experience, and nursing process.

Findings: The developed virtual simulation system significantly reduced costs compared to traditional simulations and high-performance simulators. The combination of large displays, projection mapping, and virtual reality provided an immersive learning environment similar to real disaster scenes. However, limitations in communication were evident as the technology is still in the early stages of development. Achieving “real-time interactivity,” which is crucial in disaster nursing education, remains challenging with current technology. Further research and development are needed to address these issues.

Implications: The virtual simulation system utilizing generative AI, computer graphics, large displays, projection mapping, and virtual reality shows great promise for providing higher-quality education in disaster nursing. While many challenges remain at the current stage, this technology is particularly beneficial for educational institutions with limited budgets and learners in remote areas. It has the potential to become a new standard in disaster nursing education, but further improvements are required.

Introduction and Purpose/Objectives: The study provides an insight into the reflections from a student and facilitator experience and perspectives of participating in an international interdisciplinary simulation challenge event held at the University of Derby.

The event objectives consisted of preparing health and social care student participants for the complexities and challenges of global public health emergencies, fostering skills that are essential for effective and compassionate practice in a global context.

Both student participants and academic facilitators were challenged with experiences outside of their normal comfort zones. For students they were challenged with working within interdisciplinary groups (rather than profession specific as they would normally undertake other simulation-based education); they were also challenged with a carousel of high-fidelity simulations with a diverse range of scenarios related to global public health emergencies. For the academic facilitators they were challenged with providing structured rapid debriefing as participants rotated across the series of event scenarios; undertaking debriefing via a standardised time limited approach STOP5, a tool and a restricted time period to debriefing that the majority of facilitators were unfamiliar with.

Approaches/Methods: A parallel of mixed methods consisting of student event evaluations and facilitators experience of using time limited debriefing in the form of the STOP5 framework.

Students – Event evaluation questionnaire.

Facilitators – 5 stages using an action research approach.

1. Access to hot debriefing training

2. Pre-simulation questionnaire

3. Simulation debrief facilitation

4. Post-simulation questionnaire

5. Post-simulation focus group

Results/Findings: Event to occurred in May 2024 and data pre and post event to be collated and presented.

Discussion/Implication:

The outcomes will:

- inform the development of future international interdisciplinary simulation-based education events related to global public health emergencies.

- inform the utility and effectiveness of time limited debriefing applied to the STOP5 framework of multi-event scenarios within simulation-based education.

Objectives: This study examines the potential of generative AI, specifically ChatGPT®, in enhancing disaster training planning and evaluation. It aims to address the rise in emerging infectious diseases, extreme weather events, and other untested disaster scenarios by assessing how AI can simplify the creation and evaluation of training scenarios, thereby increasing efficiency and effectiveness.

Methods: A qualitative case study was conducted with participants in a tabletop exercise at a health center. ChatGPT® was used to generate materials for disaster drills, including assumptions about health issues, extracting “current situation analysis and issues” from a hypothetical timeline, and developing evaluation criteria. Ethical guidelines were followed to avoid including personal or facility-specific information.

Findings: AI significantly streamlined disaster drill planning and preparation, saving time and effort. It enabled the creation of scenarios tailored to specific needs without requiring extensive specialized knowledge. The evaluation process was enhanced by quantifying content, allowing for detailed feedback to participants.

Implications: This study highlights both the benefits and challenges of integrating generative AI into disaster medicine. While AI can streamline planning and improve scenario quality, issues such as data insufficiency, AI inaccuracies, and the need for human oversight and ethical considerations are critical. The findings emphasize the importance of careful integration and regulation of AI technologies in disaster preparedness.

Introduction and Objective: Augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) has been recognised as a great technology to be used in many fields, especially in emergency and disaster management. This technology also can be applied in one of the disaster exercises which is a tabletop exercise (TTX). TTX is where a group, discusses a simulation of an emergency led by a facilitator. This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge and attitude of nursing and medical students and its association with sociodemographic data towards the use of AR/VR as an approach to TTX in emergency and disaster preparedness.

Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study with convenience sampling study was conducted among 211 IIUM Kuantan Campus nursing and medical students from April to June 2022. Data were collected using questionnaires through Google form which is available in English language. The questionnaire for student’s knowledge and attitude on AR/VR was self-developed and a reliability test was conducted with reliability of 0.72 and 0.865 for knowledge and attitude respectively.

Results: Majority of respondents have high knowledge and displayed positive attitudes towards the use of AR/VR as an approach to TTX in emergency and disaster preparedness. It was found that frequency of playing on a computer, or mobile games is statistically significant with attitudes on the use of AR/VR. While no significant difference was identified between gender, ownership of computer/mobile devices and period of daily of internet use with attitudes towards the use of AR/VR.

Conclusion: The use of AR/VR in the field of emergency and disaster can be very useful. It is hope that this advance technology can be implemented by the National Disaster Management Agency as well as in the field of healthcare education to have a community that is well prepared with emergency and disaster situation.

Introduction: Earthquakes have caused nearly 750,000 deaths globally from 1998 to 2017, highlighting the need for preparedness. Thailand has experienced several notable earthquakes. Practicing drills and using virtual reality (VR) simulations can help children understand safety protocols, experience earthquakes safely, and enhance survival skills through active engagement.

Objective: 1. Student Engagement with VR Preparedness: We assumed that students would be highly engaged and responsive to using VR simulations as part of their disaster preparedness education.

2. Raising Awareness and Developing Capacities in Earthquake Preparedness.

Methods: 1. Developed Educational Materials: VR earthquake simulations, disaster jigsaw puzzles covering earthquakes, floods, landslides, fires, cold weather, hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and tsunamis, and computer games such as disaster-related vocabulary puzzles, cause and impact puzzles, and survival kit organization puzzles.

2. The activity began with an introduction to public disasters, asking students to define and give examples, and share personal experiences. Knowledge about earthquakes was provided, emphasizing actions before, during, and after the disaster. Students learned about eight disaster types through jigsaw puzzles and computer games. They explored earthquake preparedness through virtual reality games, involving gameplay explanations and practice. The activity concluded with a summary of knowledge and skills for earthquake preparedness and response.

Results: Learning activities for 2,320 elementary students across 56 schools in 14 districts and 4 provinces sparked keen interest in VR, making learning enjoyable and supplementing traditional methods. Students eagerly shared knowledge with peers and families and requested more activities. Additionally, 130 teachers identified a need for enriching content and materials. They agreed VR captures students' attention and provides engaging experiences, while jigsaw puzzles and computer games effectively support and enhance learning.

Discussion: This research introduced earthquake basics through a game but lacked assessments. Future research should assess knowledge and skills.

Introduction and Purpose/Objectives: Amidst escalating climate change and disasters, disaster nursing proficiency is vital for gauging public health emergency responses. Traditional training faces resource scarcity, safety issues, and struggles to replicate complex scenarios, hindering skill development. Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) systems, with their high levels of immersion and interactivity, presents a novel solution for disaster nursing education. This study aims to leverage the ADDIE instructional design model (comprising Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) to develop a CAVE-based virtual reality scenario tailored for disaster nursing, with the objective of augmenting nurses’ abilities in nursing competence within disaster contexts.

Approaches/Methods: The study comprised a systematic literature review for need benchmarking, practitioner interviews for real-world requirements, and expert panels for design refinement. Following content curation, scripting, and technical realization via 3D modeling and C# coding, exhaustive testing guaranteed functionality and user fit, resulting in a tailored, immersive VR platform for disaster nursing education.

Results/Findings: By employing the ADDIE framework, this work generated a CAVE-based virtual reality simulation for disaster nursing, achieving striking fidelity through advanced visualization techniques and physics emulation, thereby significantly enhancing the authenticity and interactive dimensions of the learning experience. Further augmented with an integrated Learning Management System (LMS), the solution enables tailored tracking and evaluation mechanisms, forming a cornerstone for personalized training advancement in the realm of disaster nursing education.

Discussion/Implication: The research enables personalized, high-stress scenario training in a safe space, bridging the theory-practice gap. It introduces innovative teaching methods for future healthcare workers, readying them for dynamic disaster challenges, ensuring real-world relevance and individual learner fit, enhancing crisis response preparedness and resilience.

Introduction and Purpose/Objectives: This study aims to explore the use of smart medical technology in education and training, combined with hospital interdisciplinary collaboration teamwork, to implement disaster care prevention. The main goal is to incorporate the technology enhancing the ability of interdisciplinary medical staff to respond to disasters and provide cares.

Approaches/Methods: We will construct smart medical technology and interdisciplinary collaboration teamwork to implement disaster care and prevention education and training simulations. During them, we will use sand table simulations to simulate complex disasters such as fires and magnitude 5 earthquakes. In the event of national-level warnings for earthquakes above, the hospital will immediately activate the smart communication system to link with the whole hospital’s system. This will enable medical staff to rescue patients, transporting, and provide comprehensive different aspects of health care. Additionally, a disaster response center will be established, each unit will be in charge of various departments. For example, cross-disciplinary medical staff in different departments must evacuate surgical patients with general anesthesia and intubation, implement continuous high-quality care and safety, and conduct field drills in regional hospital operating rooms to simulate isaster emergencies.

Results/Findings: The simulation exercises and field education and training demonstrated that medical staff in cross-disciplinary teams can effectively cooperate in disaster care. The collected data also indicated the efficiency improves the ability of medical staff to respond to disasters and provide care.

Discussion/Implications: This education and training study emphasizes the critical importance of smart medical systems and collaborative care by interdisciplinary medical staff facing complex disasters, especially in regions prone to frequent earthquakes like Taiwan. Therefore, using smart medical technology and multidisciplinary collaboration teamwork for care and prevention is crucial.

Introduction and Purpose/Objectives: Not only due to COVID-19 but also because disasters are increasing and becoming more complex worldwide, the role of nurses in disaster settings is becoming more crucial. Among the various and complex disasters, a mass gathering event is a situation during which a gathering of crowds occurs, producing limited access to patients and a potential for delayed response to medical emergencies due to the event itself.

Approaches/Methods: In particular, it is more important in mass gathering events because it leads to mass casualty incident. The presentation will look at the 2015 Phnom Penh Water Festival (Bon Om Touk), the 2022 Itaewon disaster in South Korea, and the 2024 Islamic pilgrimage event in relation to mass gathering events in the past 15 years. And compared to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, which was also the mass gathering event but had very low casualties, I checked whether there were any differences in the scale of the disaster and response system.

Results/Findings: To minimize disasters at a mass gathering event, nurses must consider and prepare for the following key questions in the prevention and preparation stages: “What is the expected volume of patients?, What is the most likely type of injury?, What is the level of care that will be provided?, and What is the worst possible scenario?”. In the case 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, there were 26,893 official entrants, and many spectators and general citizens along the marathon course. However, due to the effective response of the “Medical Tent” and disaster-prepared personnel, the number of fatalities was rare.

Discussion/Implication: As such, “Mass gathering events” are related to various factors such as weather, crowd movement, availability of alcohol/drugs, and the possibility of spreading communicable diseases. Although disaster management is challenging, preparation through education is less costly than learning through tragedy.

Introduction and Objectives: Over the past five years, the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict between Gaza and Israel have had a significant impact on the medical cooperation project with Palestine Red Crescent Society (hereinafter “PRCS”) in Lebanon. Lessons learned from the project will be reported.

Approaches and results: The Japanese Red Cross Society launched the project for five hospitals of the PRCS in 2018. The project had to be suspended twice due to the two events listed above. On-site team and technical support team worked for this project. Activities were conducted to improve the quality of nursing care. The first hospital’s activity period of one year was due to the fact that the actual activity period was shortened by preparations for the start of the activity; the other hospitals’ activity period was six months as planned. The third hospital could only operate for three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second phase resumed in April 2022. However, in October 2023, the conflict between Gaza and Israel affected the security in Lebanon, a hospital where the team had newly started its activities had to discontinue its activities immediately after the baseline survey was completed.

Discussion: Deterioration of security due to COVID-19 and conflicts was unpredictable and directly resulted in project interruptions. Furthermore, the short duration of the project activities in each hospital made it difficult to delegate and continue the project to local staff. And the short duration of activities in one hospital increases the risk of withdrawal before the activities are in place. When implementing cooperation projects, including nursing skills transfer, under unpredictable circumstances, it is important to set a time frame of one year for each hospital, and to hire and train nursing staff as local staff to enable them to take over the activities.

Objectives: This case study aims to explore the impact of support offered by International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (here after: IFRC) on Health and Care activities operated by Syria Arab Red Crescent (here after: SARC) in Protracted Crises Complex Emergencies and Fragile Contexts (here after: PCCE).

Methods: Secondary data review and Key informant and group interviews were used.

Findings: On 6 February 2023, a series of earthquakes killed over 55,000 people in Turkey and Syria, in the worst earthquakes the region has seen in 20 years.

Syria, many affected people were already living in a dire situation, due to over 13 years of instability and conflict. Most cities are still in ruins, and basic infrastructure is severely damaged. SARC continues to be a critical lifeline by providing humanitarian services: food, water, basic relief items, health care, and psychosocial support. Meanwhile, continue shrinking funding support to continue those activities are ever worsening due to many other conflicts in the world.

IFRC capacity building support toward SARC Health and care activities enabled them to ensure quality and efficiency.

Implications: Strengthening coordination within SARC’s different department, Red Cross Red Crescent partners and other humanitarian organizations were effective. Challenging on strategic downsizing by need analysis, cost effectiveness and innovative / participatory method.

Purpose: The Hualien County Special Rescue Team is a mission-oriented organization. During normal times, team members are on duty at various stations. In major disasters, they are contacted via group messaging to assemble at the Special Rescue Brigade before deployment. On regular days, apart from officers, only a small number of team members are on duty at the brigade headquarters. When a disaster occurs locally, due to damaged railways and roads, the rescue team can’t arrive there at the first time.

Methods: Sharing the experience of participation 0403 earthquake disaster rescue and review the research of disaster nursing.

Result: A This rescue experience illuminate the importance and practical skills of cooperating with numerous news media at disaster sites, which is another task that should be taught and learned as core competency for the rescue team. In addition to cooperation, the competition with other search and rescue teams should be aware and considered as an issue for communication and cooperation in training course.

Due to damaged railways and roads, support teams from other regions, including the National Fire Agency’s Special Rescue Team, arrived in Hualien by air transport at noon on 0403, But they can’t move in the location at soon as possible.

Discussion: When a disaster occurs locally, there isn’t sufficient time for assembly and preparation; instead, individuals arrive at the scene independently. Therefore, issues including safety and security of member to disaster or rescue site as well as information briefing regarding disaster care and rescue task before the arrival should be emphasized.

Introduction and Purpose: In February 2024, one month after a major earthquake disaster, the presenters provided nursing support at Shelter B in District A of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. District A was a depopulated area with a high proportion of aged residents, which suffered extensive damage from the earthquake. Following the disaster, many residents utilized Shelter B. However, due to anticipated prolonged disruption of lifelines, only those who wanted to evacuate were temporarily sent to neighboring prefectures for secondary evacuation. This report aims to reflect on the support activities and to explore how nursing can contribute to the community reconstruction during the transition to the recovery phase, among the multiple issues related to health and livelihood.

Approaches: Reviewing nursing activities and evacuee responses, this report examines the role of the nursing team in community reconstruction of these areas dispersed by wide-area secondary evacuations.

Findings: Organized by the Japan Society of Disaster Nursing, we stationed at Shelter B as a nurse-only medical relief team. This report focuses on a one-week period in the ongoing activities of the society from the day after the disaster until the present. To reconstruct dispersed relationships, support was needed for residents who chose secondary evacuation, those who did not, and volunteers managing Shelter B. After secondary evacuations, a new exchange space and children’s playground were established, to promote interaction among the evacuees. However, residents remained concerned about the recovery of living infrastructure in District A.

Implication: Similar phenomena may occur in similar areas worldwide. It is necessary to improve disaster preparedness, using the suggestions from this report for the direction of nursing contribution to disaster risk reduction including a view to community reconstruction, the transition period from the emergency response to recovery phases, and the subsequent long-term recovery phase of the build-back-better.

Introduction and Objective: On November 3, 2023, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Jajarkot in the western part of Nepal, resulting in 154 fatalities, 366 injuries, the complete destruction of 26,557 houses, and partial damage to 35,455 houses. This report analyzes the situation 3 months after the earthquake. The primary objective is to assess recovery efforts, living conditions, and the roles of governmental and non-governmental agencies in the aftermath.

Approaches: A three-member team from the Disaster Preparedness Network (DPNet)-Nepal conducted a field visit from February 5 to February 11, 2024. The study is based on observations, focus group discussions with NGOs, and interviews with local government officials, and disaster survivors.

Findings: The team found immediate search and rescue operations satisfactory, but relief distribution faced significant discrepancies, leading to conflicts. Delays in government reconstruction assistance and challenges in constructing temporary shelters, primarily made of galvanized iron sheets, were major issues. A bamboo and mud model shelter showed promise as a better alternative. Health services faced severe challenges, including inadequate maternal healthcare and rising mental health issues. Misuse of relief funds influenced by political affiliations, insecurity for families constructing temporary shelters on rented land, and lack of accurate data on vulnerable populations hindered effective aid distribution. Participants in focus group discussions and interviews rated the overall governmental disaster response 7 out of 10.

Discussion: The report emphasizes the need for improved coordination, equitable aid distribution, sustainable reconstruction practices, pre-disaster data collection, training and activation of the national Emergency Medical Team (EMT), designated warehouses or evacuation centers, a uniform reporting mechanism, and adherence to Sphere standards. Effective collaboration among all stakeholders is crucial to addressing ongoing challenges and supporting affected populations comprehensively.

Introduction and Purpose/Objectives: We have been providing the COIL program focusing on disaster resilience and community health since 2022. Under the global and universal theme of disasters, we believe that this is a theme that students from different disciplinary and countries can work under the common theme to promote collaborative learning. This study will share the insight whether and what in context the course can promote the participants’ cultural competency.

Approaches/Methods: Online survey was used at the beginning and end of the course. Descriptive statistical analysis and text analysis was conducted on the answers to the pre- and post-assignment questions given during the course implementation. Ethical approval was obtained from the Hiroshima University Epidemiology Ethics Review Committee.

Results/Findings: The total number of participants was 192, from a total of 22 countries. Undergraduate students counted 108 (56.3%), 73 (38.0%) were post graduate students, and 10 (5.2%) were post docs/faculty. The three attainment pre-post course questions indicated that communication showed an increase from 17% to 42.0% for Very Good in terms of being able to access necessary resources. The largest number of participants stated that they want to learn how to cope with disasters along with the mechanisms. The second largest number of participants mentioned how to work in a team and their attitude toward participation. These were the next most frequently mentioned by participants.

Discussion/Implication: The survey results indicate that the participants generally achieved their learning objectives on understanding and preparing for disasters. In relation to the objective “actively engage participants from different cultural backgrounds in collaborative discussions”, the participants were able to become aware of their own tendencies in thinking and behaving, which had been taken for granted. The participants learning have been facilitated with Respect, Openness, Curiosity and Discovery, which are essential attitudes in Deardorff’s (2006) Intercultural Competence Model.

Purpose: This study examined the resilience of Healthcare Institutions in infectious disease disasters from the perspective of nursing managers, who are key personnel in disaster management and organizational resilience. This research was driven by an interest in the predictive and preventive capabilities of organizational resilience for the development of organizational processes and functions.

Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional research design to evaluate the organizational resilience of a COVID-19 dedicated hospital. Nursing managers in departments involved in the care of patients with COVID-19, including those in designated beds and those engaged in the management, treatment, and operation of the hospital’s response to the pandemic, were surveyed. The Systemic Potentials Management Foreground Questions tool was translated into Korean, modified to suit the context, and the Korean Version of Systemic Potentials Management for Infectious Disease Disaster (K-SPM-ID²) was developed by the researcher after conducting content validity and a pilot study.

Results: The organizational resilience of Infectious Disease Dedicated Healthcare Institutions was determined to be at an acceptable level. The capability with the highest score was response capability, while the lowest score was monitoring capability. There was no correlation or difference in organizational resilience according to the characteristics of the study subjects. However, there were differences depending on the characteristics of the organization. The developed tool was found to be valid and acceptable to nursing managers.

Discussion: It was determined that it is crucial to consider the characteristics of the organization when establishing strategies to enhance the organizational resilience of healthcare institutions dedicated to infectious diseases. The improvement of organizational resilience through periodic evaluation can contribute to the maintenance of organizational goals and the reduction of the impact of infectious disease disasters.

Introduction and Purpose/Objectives: Worldwide, weather and climate-related disasters have increased fivefold in the past 50 years (UNRIC n.d.) and almost tenfold in recent years (cf. WELTHUNGERHILFE n.d.; BMEL 2021). In Germany, flood-related natural disasters are primarily responsible for damage and deaths. In addition, the Covid 19 pandemic has also led to massive changes in the care of people in need of care. In Germany, the prevention and management of crises and disasters in healthcare facilities is largely regulated by law. There is currently no systematic training in this area. The acute crisis and disaster situations in Germany have highlighted the high demand for appropriately trained, expert nursing staff.

Approaches/Methods: As part of a teaching research project in the Applied Nursing Science degree program on disaster preparedness in Frankfurt healthcare facilities, 12 guideline-based expert interviews were conducted and evaluated using qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz/Mayring. The focus was on the aspects of communication, leadership and training.

Results/Findings: In terms of communication, the experiences of the Covid 19 pandemic show that regular training, including on topics such as motivation and dealing with emotions as well as adapting skills, was identified as a prerequisite for success. Processing experiences as part of art projects can also provide psychosocial support. With regard to training, the analysis of the interviews shows that clear tasks, legal safeguards and simulation training are crucial. However, challenges were identified in harmonizing European regulations and adapting curricula. Best practices include the regular revision of guidelines and the promotion of interprofessional collaboration. Practical experience and psychosocial support are also important to promote student resilience.

Discussion/Implication: Future research should include experts from regions with more frequent disasters to obtain a more comprehensive picture.

Objectives: Amidst the escalating global climate crisis, the interplay between climate change and healthcare systems has become increasingly critical. The last decade’s proliferation of extreme weather events has precipitated a marked increase in heat-related morbidities, altered infectious disease transmission patterns, and exacerbated health outcomes from severe weather conditions. These changes have placed unprecedented stress on health systems, heightening the demand for health services while concurrently challenging their operational capacities. This course aims to elucidate the nexus between climate change and healthcare delivery, advocating for healthcare sector initiatives that promote decarbonization and bolster systemic resilience.

Methods: The course introduces a graduate-level curriculum focused on climate change and health, detailing the dynamics of climate change, its interaction with human health, and the contributory role of healthcare systems in environmental degradation. Incorporating a design thinking approach, the program seeks to foster actionable strategies for reducing healthcare’s carbon footprint through decarbonization and systemic reorganization. Participants include graduate students from Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Kingdom of Eswatini, all of whom are being trained to undertake decarbonization initiatives.

Findings: The preliminary findings suggest that students have attained a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between climate change and health, as well as the requisite responses from healthcare systems. They have also developed innovative solutions aimed at mitigating the carbon emissions associated with healthcare operations, aligning with the objectives of achieving net-zero carbon emissions.

Implications: The curriculum provided the self-learning platform to of climate change and health at the graduate level. The repeated refreshment, debates, and design thinking has equipped students with skills of decarbonization on clinical practices of the nursing care. Consequently, these graduate students are better prepared to employ their skills collaboratively with other professionals in achieving Net-zero emissions in the healthcare system.

Objectives: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. In the WHO South-East Asia Region, public health nurses and midwives have played crucial roles in providing services, managing outbreaks, and caring for affected populations. Understanding their roles during this crisis is essential for maximizing their contributions and shaping future regional public health strategies. This study highlights healthcare professionals’ contributions, challenges, and evolving responsibilities in managing the pandemic.

Methods: Data were collected using an in-depth interview method with nurse managers and stakeholders, and focus group discussions were conducted with nurses providing care during the COVID–19 pandemic from eight countries in WHO’s Southeast Asia region. The data collection process includes qualitative data analysis, categorizing the data according to the studied issues, analysing the content and consistency, and synthesizing and summarizing the results.

Results: The study found five main roles described in this qualitative research data: 1) clinical roles, where nurses and midwives have been playing crucial roles in providing physical and psychosocial support; 2) education: both receiving capacity building and providing training to the community on Covid-19; 3) managerial roles, through active participation in leadership and policy-making; 4) challenges, due to low nurses and midwives representation in national policy and 5) future/readiness by highlighting the comprehensive approach needed for effective healthcare preparedness and response.

Discussion: This study demonstrates nurses & midwives’ adaptability and resilience in the face of unprecedented COVID-19 response in the WHO Southeast Asia Region. The findings will provide insights into their impact on public health and inform strategies for enhancing their effectiveness in future health crises, ultimately contributing to a stronger healthcare system.

We jointly organized a workshop on “Bridging environmental health research and disaster nursing practices and social innovations” at the 8th International Research Conference of the World Society of Disaster Nursing on November 30, 2024. Its aim was to foster a resilient relationship between environmental health researchers and health practitioners. In this paper, we present a summary of the presentations at the workshop and the challenging contexts they addressed. They covered securing safe water in Bangladesh, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination and a collaborative survey implemented with Japanese citizens, exacerbated health and social inequalities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, preventing exposure to hazardous dust during disasters, and safeguarding residents’ health and daily preparedness after a disaster.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of narrative education in enhancing disaster nursing training for intern nurses.

Methods: A total of 97 intern nurses participated in disaster nursing training using a narrative education approach. The Disaster Preparedness Scale and Core Emergency Competency Scale were administered before and after the training to assess changes in disaster preparedness and core emergency capabilities. Additionally, the nurses’ satisfaction with the training duration, methods, and teaching style was evaluated through a survey.

Results: Pre-training, the disaster preparedness score was (97.58 ± 4.15) and the core emergency competency score was (88.63 ± 5.12). Post-training, disaster preparedness improved to (136.63 ± 4.23) and core emergency competency increased to (109.79 ± 3.54). The differences observed before and after the training were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Intern nurses reported high levels of satisfaction with the narrative education approach, with satisfaction rates of 93.8%, 96.5%, and 97.6% for training time, methods, and teaching style, respectively.

Conclusion: The application of narrative education significantly enhances disaster preparedness and core emergency capabilities in intern nurses. Furthermore, the high satisfaction levels among intern nurses indicate the effectiveness and acceptance of the narrative education model in disaster nursing training.

This study reviewed Japanese public health nurse textbooks on pre-disaster activities. It found 68 descriptions across five texts, focusing on community health education, organizational collaboration, and guideline preparation. It emphasized incorporating preventive measures and simulations into training.

The Japan Society of Disaster Nursing Young Academy Committee (JSDN-YA) aims to build a network of young researchers and to make recommendations based on the perspectives of young scientists starting in 2019. JSDN-YA participants are individuals who hold a master's or doctoral degree or its equivalent under the age of 45, an educator/researcher in disaster nursing, a practitioner such as Certified Nurse Specialist (CNS), and the willingness to address issues in disaster nursing. This paper reports on the recommendations that JSDN-YA has made so far.

This study aimed to analyze past efforts and future challenges in disaster nursing in Japan and to discuss guidelines for future activities of the Japan Society of Disaster Nursing Young Academy Committee (JSDN-YA). A literature review was conducted, focusing on the preface of volumes 1–25 of the Journal of the Japanese Society of Disaster Nursing. As a result, seven items were extracted as past efforts and eight items as future challenges.

Objectives: Digital Transformation (DX) is bringing innovation to disaster nursing education. This study aims to develop a higher-quality virtual simulation system using generative AI, computer graphics, large displays, projection mapping, and virtual reality, with a focus on disaster scenarios.

Methods: First, I used generative AI and natural language processing technology to develop a digital simulated patient capable of realistic dialogue. In addition, I used computer graphics to reproduce the realistic movements and facial expressions of a patient. I then investigated various exercises and practical training related to the development of a digital simulated patient in a specific disaster. Furthermore, in developing a digital simulated patient in a disaster, I actually used ICT to consider various digital transformations and digital content, and compiled ICT-related information that can be used in four categories: communication with patients and users, physical assessment of patients, clinical experience, and nursing process.

Findings: The developed virtual simulation system significantly reduced costs compared to traditional simulations and high-performance simulators. The combination of large displays, projection mapping, and virtual reality provided an immersive learning environment similar to real disaster scenes.

Implications: The virtual simulation system utilizing generative AI, computer graphics, large displays, projection mapping, and virtual reality shows great promise for providing higher-quality education in disaster nursing. While many challenges remain at the current stage, this technology is particularly beneficial for educational institutions with limited budgets and learners in remote areas. It has the potential to become a new standard in disaster nursing education.

Aim: In 2019, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) published a revised version of the Core Competencies in Disaster Nursing, followed in 2022 by a supplement for nurses in Medical Emergency Teams. Both publications received a great deal of international attention but were hardly noticed in German-speaking countries. The aim of this project was to support the dissemination and application of this competence framework by developing a translated and culturally adapted German version.

Methods: A multistage, consensus-based translation and cultural adaptation process was carried out together with the nursing associations in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, followed by open access publication and systematic dissemination.

Results: After the ICN gave its approval, the competency framework was translated and culturally adapted, considering the various professional laws for nurses, health and disaster management systems of the participating countries and linguistic and cultural specificities. After completion and approval by all partners involved, dissemination began. The German version of the ICN Core Competencies in Disaster Nursing (2019/2022) was published online (2024) and sent directly to renowned nurse educators and decision makers, followed by cross-national webinars for the professional public.

Conclusions: These activities are expected to ensure that the ICN Core Competencies are recognized and implemented in vocational and undergraduate education to help the nurse workforce in the German-speaking countries to be better prepared for future disasters. In addition, they can serve as a basis for research activities in implementation and educational research, for curriculum development or for the development of culturally adapted assessment tools.

Introduction and Objectives: Globally, flooding is a leading cause of drowning deaths among children. Despite various preventive measures, systematic reviews evaluating their effectiveness are lacking. This systematic review aims to summarize existing literature on interventions to prevent drowning among children during floods, assess their effectiveness, and provide a basis for public health policy. The goal is to categorize and evaluate the effectiveness of different drowning prevention interventions.

Methods: A systematic review approach was used to search literature from 2000 to 2023 in databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria were studies on drowning prevention interventions targeted at children aged 0–19. Fourteen studies were included, and the quality of the literature was assessed using tools from the JBI Centre for Evidence-Based Healthcare. A flow diagram of the study selection process is shown in Figure 1.

Results: Integrated interventions combining water safety education with practical skills training significantly reduce the risk of drowning among children. Water safety education increased awareness by 29.5% (P < 0.05), CPR training improved survival skills by 53.35% (P < 0.01), and swimming skills training enhanced self-rescue abilities by 254.1% (P < 0.01). Comparative results of these effect sizes and their 95% confidence intervals are illustrated in Figures 2–4.

Discussion: Comprehensive educational and practical interventions are effective in enhancing children’s drowning prevention capabilities during floods. Policymakers and public health experts should promote these proven interventions in flood-prone areas. Future research should focus on developing standardized evaluation tools and assessing the long-term effectiveness and adaptability of these interventions across different regions and cultures.