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The Need for a Standardized Disaster Curriculum in Nursing Education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 July 2025

Kevser Sevgi Ünal Aslan
Affiliation:
https://ror.org/03h8sa373 Osmaniye Korkut Ata University , Faculty of Health Sciences, Osmaniye, Türkiye
Hüseyin Aslan
Affiliation:
https://ror.org/03h8sa373 Osmaniye Korkut Ata University , Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Osmaniye, Türkiye
Ibrahim Sani Mert
Affiliation:
https://ror.org/013sqra93 Antalya Bilim University , School of Business and Social Sciences, Antalya, Türkiye
Kemal Koksal*
Affiliation:
https://ror.org/01m59r132 Akdeniz University , Serik Business Faculty, Antalya, Türkiye
*
Corresponding author: Kemal Koksal; Email: kemalkoksal@akdeniz.edu.tr
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Abstract

Information

Type
Letter to the Editor
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc

Dear Editor,

Disasters pose immense challenges to health care systems, requiring well-prepared professionals, particularly nurses, to respond effectively.Reference Said and Chiang1 As frontline responders, nurses are crucial in disaster management, from immediate medical interventions to long-term recovery support.Reference Su, Wu, Ogawa, Yuki, Hu and Yang2 However, a significant gap remains in standardized disaster education within nursing curricula worldwide.

Examining disaster management education across nursing faculties in Türkiye reveals that only 47.4% (83 universities) offer disaster-related courses, and merely 14 institutions mandate such education. Although these courses cover vital topics, including triage, logistics, ethical decision-making, and psychosocial support, inconsistencies in course offerings highlight an urgent need for a unified disaster nursing curriculum to ensure all nursing graduates possess fundamental disaster management competencies.

The recent earthquake disaster in Türkiye showed several critical deficiencies in current disaster nursing educationReference Mert and Koksal3 including excessive focus on theory, insufficient hands-on training, and inadequate coverage of critical topics. Practical training is a major shortcoming, lacking simulation exercises, scenario-based learning, and triage skill development. Additionally, essential course topics such as disaster health logistics, mass casualty management, and ethical decision-making require more emphasis. Gaps in psychosocial support, emotional resilience, and crisis management further hinder preparedness. Post-disaster care, including rehabilitation planning and stress management, also needs improvement.

The absence of standardized disaster education raises concerns about nursing graduates’ preparedness to handle crises. Nurses trained under varied curricula may lack essential competencies, potentially compromising disaster response efficiency. The need for a cohesive curriculum is evident, ensuring that all nursing students, regardless of institution, receive comprehensive and practical disaster trainingReference Loke, Guo and Molassiotis4.

We urge academic institutions, policymakers, and healthcare organizations to collaborate in establishing a standardized disaster curriculum for nursing education. Integrating uniform disaster training across nursing programs can enhance readiness, ultimately improving healthcare system resilience during crisesReference Küçük, Sari and Demirbağ5. Addressing this educational gap is paramount to fostering a globally competent nursing workforce capable of managing disasters effectively.

Competing interests

We have no commercial or financial relationship to disclose. We have no known conflict of interest to disclose. This manuscript has not been submitted to, nor is it under review at, another journal or other publishing venue.

References

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Su, Y, Wu, XV, Ogawa, N, Yuki, M, Hu, Y, Yang, Y. Nursing skills required across natural and man-made disasters: A scoping review. J Adv Nurs. 2022;78(10):31413158. doi:10.1111/jan.15337CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
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