Exploring the Factors Promoting Nurses' Stages of Change for Patient Evacuation in Disasters: A Directed Content Analysis.

Introduction: Identifying factors that enhance the stages of behavior change and nurses' readiness to evacuate patients during disasters can facilitate the proper management of the patient evacuation process in emergencies. This study aimed to identify the factors related to the stages of behavior change and nurses' readiness to evacuate patients during disasters.

Methods: This qualitative study was conducted as a directed content analysis using the Hsieh and Shannon method and the MAXQDA 2020 software. Data were collected between January and June 2024 among nurses from various hospitals in Iran. The interview guideline was designed based on the transtheoretical model. Twenty nurses who met the inclusion criteria were selected through purposive sampling. Data collection was done through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews.

Results: The study's findings indicated that all nurses were in the first 3 stages of behavior change. The components for enhancing the stages of behavior change in nurses for patient evacuation during disasters included 4 main categories (cognitive processes of change, behavioral processes of change, resource provision, and risk communication) and 15 subcategories. From the nurses' point of view, stimulus control to manage fear, increase awareness, and dramatic relief were important components in promoting the stages of behavior change toward readiness.

Discussion: This study revealed factors that enhance nurses' preparedness for evacuating patients in disasters. Training courses and operational maneuvers based on the stages of behavior change in nurses may effectively increase the process of patient evacuation during disasters.