Abstract

  Introduction: Nurses are the first people that attend the accident site. Therefore, they must be able to take care of victims and have skill to prevent detrimental effects of disaster. The aim of this study was to determine competencies among Shahrekord emergency nurses responded in disaster situation with Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).

  Materials & Methods: This study was a descriptive study which 25 emergency nurses of educational hospital in Shahrekord were recruited by census statistical methods. Competency of nurses for responding in disaster situation were evaluated by utilizing 8-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). In each station "Task Based Checklist" has been used for evaluation. For measuring validity, content validity and for reliability, test re test was used. Data were analyzed by using SPSS/16.

  Findings: The mean scores of nurses' performance in 8 stations were less than average. In triage station was (3.5 ± 1.6), life support (4.4 ± 1.2), airway management (3.9 ± 1.5), Chest tube insertion (4.9 ± 1.5), naso gastric tube insertion (6.1 ± 2.2), IV therapy (1.9 ± 0.7), IV line insertion (5.4 ± 1.3), suturing (8.6 ± 1.5) urinary catheterization (9.1 ± 1.5).

  Conclusion: Competencies of nurses in providing care in disaster were undesirable and less than average in all skills. So it is essential for nurses to acquire clinical and special skills to prepare for disaster situations.