Emergency response ability training of nursing students in the emergency department under COVID-19 epidemic situation-expert consensus of evidence-based practice and Delphi method.

Objective: To construct standardized training procedures and measures for emergency nursing students in COVID-19 epidemic setting so as to improve their ability to deal with emergencies.

Methods: A total of 75 nursing students who were interns in the emergency department of Lu'an People's Hospital of Anhui Province from August 2021 to July 2022 were prospectively selected. Based on the evidence-based methodology and Delphi method, the best evidence for improving the emergency ability of nursing students in emergency department was obtained by systematically retrieving databases such as Web of Science, Cochrane Library and China Knowledge Network. Through two rounds of Delphi expert consultation and consulting experts' opinions, the training plan for emergency ability of nursing students in emergency department under COVID-19 epidemic situation was finally determined, and the effect of the training plan after its implementation was evaluated.

Results: The scores of prevention ability, preparation ability and rescue ability of nursing students increased after training (P<0.05). After training, the nursing students' humanistic care ability, theory test score, operation skill score and condition grading ability score also increased (<0.05). Additionally, task analysis, self-motivated belief, self-evaluation, self-monitoring and regulation, and total score of nursing students all increased after training (<0.05). The scores of each dimension in the Chinese Version of Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CTDI-CV) scale after training were higher than those before training (<0.05). Moreover, after training, the correct rate of nursing students' cognition on hospital epidemic prevention and control and the patients' total satisfaction degree to the nursing students' diagnosis and treatment services both increased (<0.05).

Conclusion: The content of the training program for emergency ability of nursing students in emergency department under the COVID-19 epidemic based on the expert consensus of evidence-based and Delphi method was reliable and practical, which helped to improve the emergency ability of nursing students and the correct understanding of the hospital epidemic prevention and control, fully inspired the active learning ability, and enhanced the humanistic care ability and operational skills, and the patient satisfaction was high.