Understanding the willingness of Australian emergency nurses to respond to a health care disaster; poster presented at the 17th World Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine, Beijing, China, 31st May – 3rd June.

1. Understanding the willingness
of Australian emergency nurses
to respond to a health care disaster
Arbon P , Cusack L , Ranse J , Shaban R , Considine J , Mitchell B , Hammad K , Woodman R , Kako M , Bahnisch L .
1 1 1,2 3 4 5 1 1 1 1
1. Flinders University, South Australia; 2. University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory; 3. Griffith Institute for Health and Medical Research and Princess Alexandra Hospital,
Queensland, Australia; 4. Deakin University and Northern Health, Victoria, Australia; 5. Northern Health, Victoria, Australia
Introduction Methods
Events such as bushfires, floods and cyclones occur regularly in Australia.1 Within the This study used three phases. Appropriate ethics approval was received for this project.
literature, eight key themes are evident that influence a health care professional’s
willingness to attend their workplace during a disaster; family responsibility and safety,2-4
Phase I A national online survey, distributed via the College of Emergency Nursing
Australasia, Australian College of Emergency Nurses and promoted in four
personal safety,3-4 working conditions,5 professional duty,4-5 type of event,5-6 gender,5-6 hospitals.
knowledge,6-8 and ability.8-9
A study focusing on Australian nurses willingness has not been previously undertaken. Phase II Six focus groups at four hospitals: 41 participants; and
It is important to understand the willingness of nurses to respond to disasters, and the
potential factors that enable or disable their response. Phase III In-depth interviews: 13 participants who participated in phase II.
Data analysis for phase I included descriptive and inferential statistics. The participant
narratives from phase II and III were transcribed and thematically analysed.
Findings Qualitative Findings
Phase I Phase II and Phase III
451 Emergency Department (ED) nurses completed the national survey. The thematic analysis identified 3 main themes and a number of sub-themes.
Table 2: themes and sub-themes from the analysis
Participant Demographics
Table 1: Participant demographics Main Theme Sub-theme
Uncertainty It depends on what is happening at home
Male 71 (16%) It depends on what is happening at work
Gender It depends on the information provided
Female 373 (84%)
It depends on the type of disaster
Age M = 39.75 (21- 64) It depends on degree of risk
It depends on the team
The majority had no children (61.6%, n=277). Of the participants, 34% (n=152) lived with The unspoken Disasters are not talked about
a partner and 35.8% (n=160) lived with a partner and children. What is a disaster?
Emergency nurse’s current role
Descriptive Findings Emergency nurse’s role in a disaster
Moral duty
Of the participants, 30.1% (n=135) worked as an ED nurse between 1 and 5 years, and Choices Making a choice
33.3% (n=148) held a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma.
Figure 1: Factors that influence the willingness of working in the ED in a disaster
Discussion
500
Agree ED nurses demonstrated a willingness to work in disasters and describe themselves
450
as being prepared. Willingness to assist does not equate to an ability to assist, which
400 Disagree is influenced by factors such as transport availability and caring responsibilities.
350 Nurses were more willing to assist in transport/natural disasters, when compared to
300
terrorist/pandemic/CBR events.
250
200 Recommendations
150
100 1. On occasions, nurses are not willing to assist in disaster response. Strategies to
overcome this should be implemented, such as enhancing PPE provisions,
50
0 2. Reasons why nurses are willing, but not able to assist should be investigated and
Having a Having Having a Right to Needing more Managers
responsibility knowledge / supportive work say 'no' knowledge / should organise
strategies developed to enhance the ability of staff to assist, and
to work skills environment skills other sta
3. Further research, beyond the cohort of ED nurses explored, should be undertaken.
Inferential statistics Acknowledgements:
This research was supported by funds from a Flinders University Industry Partnership Grant.
The authors would like to thank the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Calvary Health Care ACT, Princess Alexandra Hospital and Northern Health who were partner organisations in this research. The authors would
The odds of being willing to attend work in transport/natural disasters was 23.9 times like to thank the CENA and the ACEN for the distribution of the survey.
higher than the odds of being willing to attend work in terrorist/pandemic/CBR events References:
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(95% CI: 10.85 – 52.8, p <0.001). Damery S, Wilson S, Draper H, Gratus C, Greenfield S, Ives J, Parry J, Petts J, & Sorell T, 2009, ‘Will the NHS continue to function in an influenza pandemic? A survey of healthcare workers in the West Midlands,
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