Disaster preparedness, response, and recovery: Lessons learned from student nurse participation in a Pan Influenza drill simulation learning experience

Planning meaningful public health learning experiences in the areas of disaster preparedness, response, and recovery for undergraduate nursing students remains a challenge for faculty. While simulated learning experiences were implemented in nursing lab settings , they were not implemented in community health until 2008 in this school of nursing. As part of a required clinical experience, each student participated in a live simulation learning experience through a day long Pan Influenza disaster preparedness drill sponsored by a state departmeat a major urban training facility. Students participated in various roles during the drill including the roles of victims and public health nursing providers. Intended outcomes of this project included: 1) assessing students' knowledge and preparedness for Pan Influenza, 2) exploring students' evaluation of a community health based simulation learning activity to determine if the simulation provided a meaningful learning experience, and 3) utilizing the information learned from this experience to to improve future community-based simulations. Pre and post Pan Influenza Preparedness Survey data were analyzed in conjunction with the results from a Simulation Design Scale Evaluation Survey. Lessons learned from this project included the need for better communication between and among all community organizers, planners, and participants. In addition, nursing faculty should be involved in the planning and implementation of any simulation activity in which students participate. Recommendations include the need for development of partnerships between nursing faculty and community planners to provide additional information on simulation theory and design prior to the simulation experience.