Effect of Educational Workshops on Disaster Risk Perception in Nurses

INTRODUCTION: The enhancement of nurses risk perception plays a significant role in their preparedness during disasters and emergencies. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of educational workshops on disaster risk perception in nurses METHODS: This randomized controlled field trial study included 62 nurses working at Razi Hospital, Birjand, Iran. The participants were divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group was then requested to participate in a oneday intensive educational workshop based on the current national standards. The workshop content included a combination of lecturing methods, roundtable exercises, and film display. The data were collected using the demographic characteristic form and researcher-made questionnaires measuring the nurses rsquo; risk perception during disasters and emergencies. Subsequently, the data were analyzed using independent t-test, repeated measures analysis, and Bonferroni post hoc tests. FINDINGS: The mean total score of risk perception were significantly higher in the intervention group before, immediately, and two months after the workshop session, compared to those in the control group (P˂0.001). CONCLUSION: The implementation of nurses rsquo; national preparation program during disasters and emergencies can result in an increase in the nurses rsquo; risk perception during these events. Therefore, regarding the importance of nurses preparedness in confrontation with disasters and emergencies, it seems necessary to integrate the National Preparedness Program into the educational programs immediately after recruitment and in the form of inservice courses.