Israeli Nurses Prepared for Disasters, Lacking Psychological Readiness
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
A new Israeli study found that nurses are technically prepared for disasters but lack psychological readiness, with training paradoxically linked to lower mental preparedness. Adequate staffing and resources were identified as key factors in reducing nurse anxiety and improving their confidence. The research, involving 300 nurses at Assuta Medical Center, suggests future interventions must integrate resources, teamwork, and specific psychological coping training.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli nurses are technically ready for disasters but lack psychological preparedness, a new study found.
- Professional training, while improving operational readiness, was linked to lower psychological preparedness in nurses.
- Adequate staffing and resources were the most significant factors in reducing nurse anxiety and boosting confidence.
- Psychological readiness was also tied to age, tenure, positive team relationships, and inter-professional collaboration.
- Researchers call for future interventions to integrate resources, teamwork, and psychological coping training for nurses.
A new Israeli study reveals that while nurses and nursing staff in Israel are professionally and technically prepared for emergencies, they lack sufficient psychological readiness. The research, conducted over a year from May 2023 to May 2024 at Assuta Medical Center involving 300 certified nurses, examined how workplace environment, personal resilience, and anxiety tendencies affect their real-time performance.
One surprising finding indicated that professional training, while enhancing operational readiness, was paradoxically linked to lower psychological preparedness. Researchers emphasized that this cross-sectional study does not imply training harms mental health, but rather that current training highlights disaster complexities and human fears without equipping staff with emotional coping tools for what they might experience.
Furthermore, the study identified that psychological readiness is not solely dependent on individual personality. The most significant factor connecting professional and psychological preparedness was the availability of adequate staffing and resources. Teams feeling supported by sufficient staff, equipment, and hands-on help exhibited lower anxiety and higher confidence in their disaster response capabilities.
Psychological preparedness was also directly correlated with factors such as age, departmental tenure, positive relationships within the nursing team, and close, respectful collaboration between doctors and nurses. "Nurses' disaster preparedness is multidimensional, reflecting organizational resources alongside personal psychological capacity," explained Dr. Amar Watad, the study's lead researcher. He stressed that future healthcare system interventions must integrate sufficient personnel and resources, a collaborative work environment, and disaster training that directly addresses psychological responses, resilience building, and anxiety management.