Date of Award

Spring 5-17-2019

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

PhD Nursing

Department

Nursing

Advisor

Judith Lothian, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Pamela Foley, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Kristi Stinson, Ph.D.

Keywords

Nursing, Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Nursing, Intuition, Triage Decision-Making, New York City

Abstract

Background: Disasters are man-made or natural events that challenge resources and support in an environment lacking rules and regulations. Nurses represent the largest resource in healthcare and are among the first to encounter victims of disaster, thus having knowledge of disaster preparedness is essential to disaster response. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence concerning the relationships between everyday elements of nursing practice such as intuition and triage decision-making and disaster preparedness knowledge.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between and among disaster preparedness knowledge, perceived use of intuition, and triage decision-making in emergency department nurses employed in acute care hospitals.

Methods: This descriptive correlational study of one hundred twenty-three emergency department nurses investigated the relationships between and among disaster preparedness knowledge, perceived use of intuition, and triage decision-making in emergency department nurses employed in acute care hospitals in the New York City combined statistical area. Participants completed the following four measurement instruments: The Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire, The Acknowledges Using Intuition in Nursing Scale, the Triage Decision Making Inventory, and a Demographic Data Information Form.

Results: Statistical analysis demonstrated that perceived use of intuition and triage decision-making as a group was not predictive of disaster preparedness knowledge. Triage decision-making was predictive of disaster preparedness knowledge by it-self and significant relationships were found between demographic variables related to experience and disaster preparedness knowledge and triage decision-making. Empirical testing of perceived use of intuition demonstrated no significant relationships with disaster preparedness knowledge or triage decision-making.

Conclusion: Emergency department registered nurses will be on the front lines of healthcare’s response to a disaster event. The relationship between disaster preparedness knowledge and triage decision-making suggests that emergency department registered nurses who posses’ higher levels of triage decision-making, have more disaster preparedness knowledge. As such, it is vital that hospital administration, government officials, and professional practice organizations recognize the value of disaster preparedness knowledge and promote innovative methods to educate and train this population of nurses. The empirical evidence of this research study was congruent with Benner’s novice to expert theory indicating that knowledge is gained from previous learning and experience.

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