6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Evaluation of disaster nursing
competencies to contribute to the
development of a resilient health
care system in Saudi Arabia
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Ms Samah Banajah
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabian Culture
Bureau
Lecturer from King Saud University, Saudi
Arabia
PhD student at Queen’s University of Belfast,
Belfast, UK

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Disasters in Saudi Arabia
Earthquakes
More common in northern region (Al-
Bassam &b et al., 2014)
Flooding
The most frequent disaster
(Abosuliman & et al., 2013)

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Overview of the problem
• Many catastrophes in KSA – natural and man-made
– Internal and external
• Inadequate response to disasters
– Highlights lack of competencies among healthcare
workers
• Urgent need to develop disaster-competent
healthcare personnel

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Nurses’ frontline role in disasters
• Despite diverse knowledge and skills
• Still need to be upskilled to prepare for disaster
management
• Integrate preparedness training into nurse education
and training
• Need to identify the necessary core competencies

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Emergency response in Saudi Arabia
• Improvements needed in the healthcare system
disaster emergency response
• Nurses to participate as competent members of a
collaborative disaster management team

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Research questions
• To what extent are our emergency nurses in Saudi
Arabia prepared for disaster management?
• What competencies do nurses in SA require to be
considered disaster-ready?
• Is the current competencies level affiliated with an
international standard competencies?

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Methodology
• Two main stages:
– quantitative measuring disaster competencies
among the registered emergency nurses
– individual interviews with stakeholders
• Develop a realist evaluation framework to explaining
the existing competencies in KSA healthcare system

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Study design
• Questionnaire developed by Althobaity et al
2016
• Participants and setting
–100 Emergency Department nurses
–2 hospitals in Jeddah

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Conclusion
• Inadequate response to disasters in KSA
– need to develop disaster-competent healthcare
personnel
• Project aims to identify competencies required for
effective disaster management
• Nursing curriculum needs to cover competencies
required for effective disaster management

6th
International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2016
‘Integrative Risk Management – Towards Resilient Cities‘ • 28 Aug – 1 Sept 2016 • Davos • Switzerland
www.grforum.org
Acknowledgements
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia Cultural Bureau (SACB)
for scholarship sponsored PhD study in the UK.
• Abdulellah Althobaity & Virginia Plummer
For their kindly permission of using their recent, valid
and reliable questionnaire.
• Supervisors
Dr. Kevin Gormley &Dr. Katherine MA Rogers