Guest Contributor: Wasi Ullah Khan
GBSN Student Dow university
Haseeb Ahmed
Registered Nurse (RN), PRN, BSN, MSN Scholar
Nursing Faculty and Mentor, Aga Khan University
Introduction
Disaster nursing is an important area of nursing education because emergencies and disasters can create sudden increases in patient needs while healthcare resources, personnel, time, and information may become limited. Effective preparedness therefore needs to begin before an emergency occurs. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes health emergency and disaster risk management as a coordinated approach involving prevention, preparedness, readiness, response, and recovery across different sectors of society (World Health Organization [WHO], 2019).
Nurses have important responsibilities during emergencies, including rapid assessment, triage, emergency care, communication, coordination, health education, and continuation of essential health services. Disaster nursing competencies provide a framework for preparing nurses to perform these responsibilities safely and effectively (WHO & International Council of Nurses [ICN], 2009). WHO also recommends integrating emergency preparedness and response into undergraduate nursing curricula so that students can develop relevant knowledge, skills, attitudes, and professional behaviours before entering practice (WHO, 2008).
Bridging Theory and Practice in Disaster Nursing
Disaster nursing education extends beyond the acquisition of theoretical knowledge. It requires nursing students to understand how principles of preparedness, triage, emergency response, communication, and teamwork can be translated into clinical decision-making during rapidly changing situations. For nursing students, classroom learning provides the foundation for understanding disaster management; however, preparedness also requires opportunities to interpret situations, prioritize patient needs, communicate effectively, and make appropriate decisions under pressure. The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of integrating emergency preparedness and response into undergraduate nursing education so that students can develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and professional behaviours required during emergencies (WHO, 2008).
Disaster situations differ from routine clinical practice because healthcare professionals may face multiple patients, limited resources, disrupted communication, and rapidly changing priorities. These circumstances require nurses to move beyond routine procedures and develop the ability to recognize priorities and adapt their actions according to the situation (WHO & ICN, 2009).
For this reason, disaster nursing education should incorporate case-based learning, simulation, clinical scenarios, group discussion, and reflective activities. Such approaches can provide students with opportunities to connect theoretical concepts with practical decision-making and to develop greater confidence in responding to unfamiliar situations.
Ultimately, effective disaster nursing education is not simply about knowing the principles of disaster management. It is about developing the ability to apply those principles when patients, healthcare systems, and communities are confronted with unexpected challenges.
Triage and Clinical Prioritization
Triage is one of the central concepts in disaster nursing. In routine nursing practice, attention is often directed toward the individual patient. During a mass casualty incident, however, multiple patients may require care simultaneously and resources may be insufficient for everyone to receive immediate treatment.
Disaster nursing therefore requires prioritization, rapid assessment, communication, teamwork, and appropriate use of available resources (WHO & ICN, 2009). Nurses may need to determine who requires immediate attention, who can safely wait, what information should be communicated, and how limited resources should be prioritized. These decisions require clinical knowledge and judgment rather than simple memorization. The WHO Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework also emphasizes coordination and organized action across the health system during emergencies (WHO, 2019).
The Nurse as Part of a Multidisciplinary Disaster Response
Disaster response is not the responsibility of nurses alone. Nurses may work with physicians, paramedics, emergency medical services, public health professionals, rescue teams, administrators, community organizations, and other responders.
Effective disaster management depends on communication, coordination, referral, transportation, logistics, documentation, and resource allocation (WHO, 2019). For nursing students, understanding the nursing role while also appreciating the roles of other professionals is essential. Teamwork is particularly important during emergencies because effective patient care depends on the ability of professionals to share information, coordinate actions, and work toward common priorities.
Theoretical Foundation: Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory
The principles of disaster nursing education can be understood through Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. Kolb (1984) proposed that learning develops through a cycle involving concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. In disaster nursing education, case scenarios, simulations, and practical learning activities can provide concrete experiences. Students can then reflect on what they would do during an emergency, connect those experiences with theoretical concepts such as triage and preparedness, and apply their understanding to new situations. This theoretical perspective supports the movement from knowing to doing. Learners are not only receiving information; they are actively processing, interpreting, and applying it. Experiential learning therefore provides a suitable educational foundation for disaster nursing activities that combine theory, simulation, communication, teamwork, and practical decision-making (Kolb, 1984).
Clinical Judgment Through Tanner’s Model
Disaster nursing education can also be linked with Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model, which describes clinical judgment through the processes of noticing, interpreting, responding, and reflecting (Tanner, 2006). Disaster situations require nurses to notice important patient and environmental cues, interpret the urgency of different conditions, respond according to priorities and available resources, and reflect on the effectiveness of their actions. For example, in a mass-casualty situation, a nurse may need to recognize several patients and available resources, interpret which patients need urgent intervention, respond by prioritizing care and communicating with the team, and reflect on whether the response was appropriate. This connection makes clinical judgment a practical part of disaster nursing education rather than an abstract concept.
Disaster nursing requires nurses to remain prepared to prioritize care, communicate clearly, and work effectively with others during challenging situations. Nursology highlights how nursing education and clinical leadership can prepare nurses to respond confidently when patients are unstable and teams face complex situations. This perspective is especially relevant to disaster nursing, where nurses may need to make rapid decisions, coordinate care, and support the team while responding to changing patient needs. Developing these skills during nursing education can help students become more prepared for emergencies and professional practice (Calubaquib & Nguyen, 2026).
Preparedness Starts Before the Disaster
Disaster preparedness is not only the responsibility of hospitals, governments, emergency services, and disaster-management authorities. It is also an important component of nursing education. WHO recommends that emergency preparedness and response education be incorporated into undergraduate nursing curricula and developed through competency-based approaches (WHO, 2008).
Preparedness does not always require expensive resources. It can begin with classroom discussion, case scenarios, simulation exercises, group activities, educational materials, and reflective learning. The important point is to provide students with opportunities to develop knowledge, confidence, communication, prioritization, teamwork, and decision-making before they face a real emergency.
Preparing nurses before a disaster occurs strengthens their ability to contribute meaningfully to patient care and coordinated emergency response.
Implications for Nursing Education and Practice
The principles discussed in disaster nursing have implications for both nursing education and clinical practice. Nursing programmes should provide students with repeated opportunities to develop disaster-related competencies rather than treating disaster preparedness as a one-time topic.
Simulation, scenario-based learning, interdisciplinary exercises, and reflective activities can help students practice prioritization and clinical judgment in a controlled environment. Healthcare organizations can further strengthen preparedness through orientation, continuing education, emergency drills, clear communication systems, and defined roles during disasters. Such approaches can help future nurses enter professional practice with a stronger understanding of emergency responsibilities and the importance of teamwork, communication, adaptability, and resource management.
A Final Reflection
Disaster nursing has reinforced for me that preparedness is not achieved simply by learning definitions, classifications, or procedures. It is developed through understanding, practice, reflection, and the ability to apply knowledge when circumstances are unfamiliar. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory provides a strong educational foundation for connecting experience with reflection and application, while Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model helps explain how nurses can notice, interpret, respond, and reflect during complex situations.
As a nursing student preparing for professional practice, I have come to understand that disaster nursing is ultimately about being ready to think clearly, prioritize appropriately, communicate effectively, collaborate with others, and act responsibly when resources and time are limited.
Disasters may be unpredictable but preparedness is a choice.
Authors’ Note
This blog was developed as a reflective academic contribution to Disaster Nursing education. The author is sincerely grateful to Sir Haseeb Ahmed for his academic mentorship, encouragement, and guidance. His support encouraged a deeper exploration of disaster preparedness and the role of nurses in emergency situations. This writing experience provided an opportunity to connect nursing theory with practical professional responsibilities and to reflect on the importance of preparedness before entering clinical practice.
References
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice-Hall.
Tanner, C. A. (2006). Thinking like a nurse: A research-based model of clinical judgment in nursing. Journal of Nursing Education, 45 (6), 204–211. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20060601-04
World Health Organization. (2008). Integrating emergency preparedness and response into undergraduate nursing curricula. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/integrating-emergency-preparedness-and-response-into-undergraduate-nursing-curricula
World Health Organization. (2019). Health emergency and disaster risk management framework. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241516181
World Health Organization, & International Council of Nurses. (2009). ICN framework of disaster nursing competencies. World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific.
Calubaquib, D., & Nguyen, R. (2026, May 15). Nurse education and clinical leadership: A philosophical perspective. Nursology. https://nursology.net/2026/05/15/nurse-education-and-clinical-leadership-a-philosophical-perspective/
About the Contributors
Wasi Ullah Khan is a final-year Semester VIII Bachelor of Science in Nursing (GBSN) student affiliated with Dow University of Health Sciences, Pakistan. His academic interests include disaster nursing, nursing education, clinical practice, professional development, and evidence-based nursing.
Haseeb Ahmed, Registered Nurse (RN), PRN, BSN, MSN Scholar is a Nursing Faculty and Mentor, Aga Khan University
Other Members of our team are: Waqas Khan, Syed Shams Khan, Rashid ali, Muhammad zubair, Zeshan ul haq, Nisar ali, Savera sajjad, Ahsan ullah, Muhammad Mansor madni, Arif ullah, Anas khans
