Nurse's specific personal competences in disaster response: a qualitative study

In recent years, the number of natural and man-made disasters has increased considerably around the world. Iran has a long history of disaster events. Because of nurses’ unique role as professional and volunteer responders in times of disaster, more information is required regarding the personal competencies they need in order to provide more effective disaster response. This paper presented the results of a study aimed to explore the required specific personal competencies of nurses in disaster response. This study was part of a larger qualitative content analysis on nurses’ competencies in disaster response in 2012 in Iran. In the present study, 35 interviews were conducted with nurses who had recent experiences of providing care in a disaster situation. Purposeful sampling was performed and continued until data saturation. The data were collected through in-depth unstructured interviews and analyzed using a conventional content analysis approach. Data analysis resulted in the identification of the main theme of “specific personal competencies” and its 4 subcategories of physical abilities, self-management, meta-competencies, and communication abilities. Considering the stress and biopsychospiritual pressure of disaster on nurses, personal competencies such as physical abilities, self-management, decision-making skills, speed in taking action, the ability to act independently, tolerance, critical thinking skills, and professional communication skills are necessary for nurses for effective disaster response. Our findings can be used as a guide for selecting nurses with appropriate personal abilities for effective disaster response and preparation of nurses for such circumstances.