American Research Journal of Nursing

Introduction: Disaster preparedness is a critical component of nursing practice. Emergency nurses who often deal with high-stress, time-sensitive situations are in need to have updated skills, knowledge and confidence in dealing with disaster. Simulation-based training is valuable tool to enhance the overall preparedness of healthcare professionals. Objectives: The study determined to evaluate the impact of Simulation-Based training on disaster preparedness and response among frontline nurses at Ministry of Health Hospitals in Najran, Saudi Arabia.” Methods: A quasi-experimental research study with a one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted among 34 nurses working in the emergency department, disaster teams/units, and intensive care units (ICUs) of various MOH Hospitals in Najran, Saudi Arabia. The participants completed the emergency preparedness information questionnaire (EPIQ). Simulation based training and debriefing were provided to the participants. Data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: In our study nurses had higher familiarity scores in triage, basic first aid, and biological agent detection with the mean score of 8.99 (SD=4.232) but lower scores in accessing critical resources and reporting, isolation, quarantine, decontamination, the Incident Command System (ICS), psychological issues, epidemiology communication, connectivity, and clinical decision-making 1.71 with (SD=0.944).However, simulation training was found to be an effective method of increasing practical skills among emergency nurses. The post-intervention mean score showed increased scores in all areas, with an overall mean score increase from 34.83% of pre-intervention to 80.27% of post-intervention. Conclusion: Nurses’ disaster preparedness is greatly improved by simulation-based training, which also enhances their knowledge, abilities, and clinical decision-making capabilities. Simulation exercises offer a realistic and effective learning experience that could prepare emergency nurses to handle high-stress situations since they are hands-on and immersive.