Simulation-Based Disaster Preparedness Education for Nursing Students (SimDisaster)

Participants in this arm will receive a web-based disaster education program developed based on disaster nursing competencies, followed by simulation-based training. The web-based program includes interactive learning activities, case scenarios, quizzes, and gamification elements. After completing the web-based education, participants will take part in simulation scenarios addressing disaster-related nursing care.

Participants will receive a web-based disaster education program developed based on disaster nursing competencies, followed by simulation-based training. The web-based program consists of three modules addressing disaster prevention and preparedness, disaster response, and recovery and rehabilitation. It includes interactive learning activities, case scenarios, quizzes, and gamification elements such as points, badges, and a leaderboard. After completing the web-based program, participants will participate in simulation-based training involving disaster-related nursing care scenarios. The intervention is designed to improve nursing students' disaster knowledge, preparedness, response self-efficacy, psychological preparedness, and disaster-related nursing skills.

Participants assigned to the control group will receive disaster nursing education using conventional PowerPoint-based teaching. The educational content will cover the same core disaster nursing topics as the web-based educational program; however, interactive and gamification features will not be included.

Participants assigned to the control group will receive conventional PowerPoint-based disaster nursing education. The educational content will cover the same core disaster nursing topics as the web-based educational program, including disaster prevention and preparedness, disaster response, and recovery and rehabilitation. The content will be delivered using conventional PowerPoint presentations without interactive learning activities, gamification elements, or web-based features.

The Scale of Perception of Disaster Preparedness on Nurses was developed to measure nurses' perceptions of their preparedness for disaster management.The scale consists of 20 items across three subscales: preparedness (items 1-6), response (items 7-15), and post-disaster (items 16-20). Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale: 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = partially agree, 4 = agree, and 5 = strongly agree. Total scores range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater perceived disaster preparedness.

Disaster response self-efficacy will be assessed in both groups using the Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale. The scale consists of 19 items across three subscales. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = not at all confident, 2 = generally not confident, 3 = somewhat confident, 4 = generally confident, and 5 = fully confident). The mean item score ranges from 1.00 to 5.00, with higher scores indicating greater disaster response self-efficacy. Mean scores are classified as low (1.00-2.33), moderate (2.34-3.67), or high (3.68-5.00).

Psychological preparedness for disaster threats will be assessed in both groups using the 21-item Turkish version of the Psychological Preparedness for Disaster Threat Scale (PPDTS-T21). Each item is scored from 1 to 4. The scale has three subscales. Knowledge and Management of the External Situational Environment (9 items) and Management of One's Emotional and Psychological Response (9 items) each range from 9 to 36. Management of One's Social Environment (3 items) ranges from 3 to 12. The three subscale scores are summed to obtain a total score ranging from 21 to 84. Higher scores indicate greater psychological preparedness for disaster threats.

Disaster management knowledge will be assessed using the Disaster Management Knowledge Test. The research team will develop the test based on the educational content after that content has been finalized with input from experts. Higher scores indicate greater knowledge of disaster management.

Disaster-related nursing skills will be assessed at posttest in both groups using skill checklists in the basic skills laboratories of the participating universities. The checklists are based on the Turkish Ministry of Health's Basic First Aid Skills Guide. The Triage Skills Checklist assesses patient prioritization and assignment to the red, yellow, green, and black triage categories. The Basic Life Support and First Aid Skills Checklist assesses performance on a manikin in a simulated emergency. An observer rates 16 procedural steps from 0 to 4 (0 = not assessed, 1 = needs improvement, 2 = fair, 3 = good, 4 = competent). If all 16 step ratings are summed, the total score ranges from 0 to 64. Higher scores indicate better performance.

Participants in the intervention group will evaluate the web-based learning environment using the Turkish version of the Web-Based Learning Environment Evaluation Scale. The scale comprises 40 items across four subscales (teaching strategy, teaching material, learning tools, and learning interface). Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all important) to 5 (very important). Total scores range from 40 to 200, with higher scores indicating that participants assign greater importance to the features of the web-based learning environment.