Disaster! The Effects of a Large-Scale Simulation on Nursing Students' Disaster Competence.

Background: Nursing education often relegates disaster training to didactic, resulting in nurses who lack the competencies needed for mass-casualty responses.

Method: In this quasiexperimental exploratory study, senior nursing students (n = 44) rated disaster management competency using the Emergency Preparedness Inventory Questionnaire (EPIQ) before and after simulation-based education (SBE) and also provided insight that was analyzed for themes.

Results: Paired samples t tests demonstrated significant differences with decreased overall familiarity reported post-SBE versus pre-SBE (µ = 1.15, SD = 1.04, CI = 0.82, p < .001). Themes included real-world, communication, empathy, and roles. True to Dunning-Kruger effect, post-SBE scores decreased from baseline, suggesting SBE enhanced students' ability to evaluate competency levels. Exploration of themes emphasized gains in empathy and communication.

Conclusion: Providing disaster SBE allows learners to better evaluate their competencies and learn how disasters affect patients and their families. Nurse educators should scaffold disaster management SBE throughout the curriculum to facilitate transition to practice. [J Nurs Educ. 2025;64(4):217-226.].