Effect of structured digital-based education given to nursing students on disaster literacy and disaster preparedness belief levels: A randomized controlled study.

Background: One of the most effective processes in disaster management is disaster education.

Aim: To determine the effect of structured digital-based education given to nursing students on disaster literacy and disaster preparedness belief levels.

Design/methods: The study was conducted in a single-center parallel group pre-test post-test randomized controlled design. The study was conducted with 74 senior nursing students at a nursing faculty in Türkiye. Active learning methods, mobile applications, games, movie watching, and maximum/multiple learning techniques were used in the structured digital-based education intervention program by organizing a technical trip to a simulation center. The program was conducted over 8 weeks and 15 different sessions. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Disaster Literacy Scale, and the General Disaster Preparedness Belief scale based on the Health Belief Model. Data were evaluated using the generalized linear model by considering group, time, and group-time.

Results: It was determined that the structured digital-based education program increased both the disaster literacy and preparedness belief levels of nursing students. In addition, the intervention was effective in terms of having a mobile application related to disasters on the phone, being an AFAD volunteer, and having a family disaster plan.

Conclusion: Bringing together multiple interventions in the learning process is important in the disaster management process. Disaster intervention programs can be created by taking advantage of both the advantages of the digital world and active learning methods to keep students active.

Clinicaltrials: gov ID: NCT06300827.