Emergency Preparedness Among Emergency Nurses in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Emergency nurses play a critical role in hospital disaster preparedness and response; however, evidence regarding their preparedness across specific emergency-response domains in Saudi Arabia remains limited. Adequate familiarity with emergency response procedures is essential for safe and effective patient care. Assessing nurses’ preparedness can help identify educational needs and guide targeted training and capacity-building initiatives.
Aim: The study aimed to assess emergency nurses’ self-reported familiarity with emergency preparedness competencies and to examine differences in preparedness scores according to selected sociodemographic and professional characteristics.
Design: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional design was utilized in the current study.
Setting: The study was conducted in the emergency department of Huraymila General Hospital.
Sample: All emergency nurses currently employed at Huraymila General Hospital were recruited as study sample (n=150).
Tool: Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire comprising sociodemographic characteristics and the 44-item Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire (EPIQ), which assesses nurses’ self-reported familiarity with emergency preparedness competencies across eight domains.
Results: The participants had a mean age of 38.55 ± 10.01 years. The overall EPIQ mean score was 3.51 ± 1.011. The highest domain score was observed for Triage (M = 3.86, SD = 0.918), whereas the lowest was observed for Biological Agents (M = 3.17, SD = 0.984). No statistically significant differences in total EPIQ scores were identified according to gender, marital status, educational level, occupational title, emergency department experience, or work shift. Age was not significantly correlated with total EPIQ score (r = -.035, p = .668).
Conclusion: Emergency nurses demonstrated moderate self-reported familiarity with emergency preparedness, with the highest familiarity in triage and the lowest in biological-agent competencies. Targeted education, regular multidisciplinary drills, and simulation-based training may strengthen preparedness in areas of lower familiarity and support emergency response readiness.