Simulation Education in Mass-Casualty Incident Preparedness

Abstract 

Mass-casualty incident (MCI) preparedness for nurses is receiving increased attention as a necessary part of nursing curriculum. Recent growth in the use of simulation technology in nursing education can provide a valuable tool for teaching nurses with MCI-preparedness skills. The purpose of this study was to survey nurse educators regarding the current state of disaster-preparedness education, current MCI preparedness topics being taught using simulation, and the present and future plans for integration of simulation as a tool for preparing nurses for a mass casualty event. Simulation nurse educators from across the United States were surveyed.

This sample population of simulation nurse educators believes simulated experiences would be a successful method for preparing student nurses for a disaster. Furthermore, these educators have a low degree of confidence that students are currently being well prepared to handle a disaster. This lower degree of confidence inversely correlated to strong beliefs in simulation as an effective method of teaching disaster-preparedness.