Radiological disaster response self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background Nuclear and radiological accidents pose serious public health risks, requiring healthcare professionals to be prepared with specific response skills. Given the essential role of nurses in disaster situations, this study evaluates the self-efficacy of final-year nursing students a...

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Main Authors: Nasser Shubayr, Shaghf Ahmed, Maria Otif, Maysa Hussain, Hams Khalid, Wasan Bashiri, Hamad Dailh, Mashael Alsairaman, Ali Alfaifi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-03-01
Series:BMC Medical Education
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-06976-4
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author Nasser Shubayr
Shaghf Ahmed
Maria Otif
Maysa Hussain
Hams Khalid
Wasan Bashiri
Hamad Dailh
Mashael Alsairaman
Ali Alfaifi
author_facet Nasser Shubayr
Shaghf Ahmed
Maria Otif
Maysa Hussain
Hams Khalid
Wasan Bashiri
Hamad Dailh
Mashael Alsairaman
Ali Alfaifi
author_sort Nasser Shubayr
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Nuclear and radiological accidents pose serious public health risks, requiring healthcare professionals to be prepared with specific response skills. Given the essential role of nurses in disaster situations, this study evaluates the self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia, in responding to radiological and nuclear incidents. Assessing self-efficacy levels can highlight strengths and gaps in disaster preparedness, guiding improvements in nursing education. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between August and November 2024, involving final-year nursing students and interns recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a modified version of the Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale (DRSES), adapted to measure competencies specific to radiological emergencies. The instrument assessed self-efficacy across three subscales “Onsite Rescue”, “Psychological Nursing” and “Role Quality and Adaptation”. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression to identify predictors of self-efficacy subscales. Results A total of 405 participants were included, with a mean age of 22.08 ± 1.24 years. The majority were female (57.04%). The overall DRSES mean score was 2.89 ± 1.00, and participants with prior disaster training scored significantly higher at 3.36 ± 0.92 compared to those without such training, who scored 2.83 ± 0.99 (p = 0.048). Analysis of the subscales revealed that “Role Quality and Adaptation” achieved the highest mean score (3.08 ± 1.18), followed by “Psychological Nursing” (2.90 ± 1.17), while “Onsite Rescue” received the lowest (2.69 ± 0.93). Strong positive correlations were observed among the three competency domains (r = 0.71–0.88, p < 0.001). Participants reported the least confidence in assessing epidemic risks (2.50 ± 1.21) and performing effective decontamination procedures (2.57 ± 1.24). Interns exhibited greater confidence in “Onsite Rescue” tasks compared to final-year students (β = 0.78, p = 0.034). Conclusions Nursing students demonstrated moderate self-efficacy in radiological disaster response, with strengths in professional role adaptation but weaknesses in technical and assessment-related competencies. The findings underscore the need for targeted educational interventions, including simulation-based training and psychological preparedness modules, to enhance nurses’ confidence and readiness for radiological emergencies.
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spelling doaj-art-a0ea1d4e8df042c4a4068eb0d47719a52025-08-20T02:41:34ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202025-03-012511910.1186/s12909-025-06976-4Radiological disaster response self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi ArabiaNasser Shubayr0Shaghf Ahmed1Maria Otif2Maysa Hussain3Hams Khalid4Wasan Bashiri5Hamad Dailh6Mashael Alsairaman7Ali Alfaifi8Diagnostic Radiograph Technology, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan UniversityDiagnostic Radiograph Technology, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan UniversityDiagnostic Radiograph Technology, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan UniversityDiagnostic Radiograph Technology, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan UniversityDiagnostic Radiograph Technology, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan UniversityDiagnostic Radiograph Technology, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan UniversityDepartment of Nursing, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan UniversityKing Fahad Armed Forces HospitalDepartment of Arabic Language, College of Arts and Humanities, Jazan UniversityAbstract Background Nuclear and radiological accidents pose serious public health risks, requiring healthcare professionals to be prepared with specific response skills. Given the essential role of nurses in disaster situations, this study evaluates the self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia, in responding to radiological and nuclear incidents. Assessing self-efficacy levels can highlight strengths and gaps in disaster preparedness, guiding improvements in nursing education. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between August and November 2024, involving final-year nursing students and interns recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a modified version of the Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale (DRSES), adapted to measure competencies specific to radiological emergencies. The instrument assessed self-efficacy across three subscales “Onsite Rescue”, “Psychological Nursing” and “Role Quality and Adaptation”. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression to identify predictors of self-efficacy subscales. Results A total of 405 participants were included, with a mean age of 22.08 ± 1.24 years. The majority were female (57.04%). The overall DRSES mean score was 2.89 ± 1.00, and participants with prior disaster training scored significantly higher at 3.36 ± 0.92 compared to those without such training, who scored 2.83 ± 0.99 (p = 0.048). Analysis of the subscales revealed that “Role Quality and Adaptation” achieved the highest mean score (3.08 ± 1.18), followed by “Psychological Nursing” (2.90 ± 1.17), while “Onsite Rescue” received the lowest (2.69 ± 0.93). Strong positive correlations were observed among the three competency domains (r = 0.71–0.88, p < 0.001). Participants reported the least confidence in assessing epidemic risks (2.50 ± 1.21) and performing effective decontamination procedures (2.57 ± 1.24). Interns exhibited greater confidence in “Onsite Rescue” tasks compared to final-year students (β = 0.78, p = 0.034). Conclusions Nursing students demonstrated moderate self-efficacy in radiological disaster response, with strengths in professional role adaptation but weaknesses in technical and assessment-related competencies. The findings underscore the need for targeted educational interventions, including simulation-based training and psychological preparedness modules, to enhance nurses’ confidence and readiness for radiological emergencies.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-06976-4Disaster responseSelf-efficacyRadiological disasterNuclear emergencyNursing education
spellingShingle Nasser Shubayr
Shaghf Ahmed
Maria Otif
Maysa Hussain
Hams Khalid
Wasan Bashiri
Hamad Dailh
Mashael Alsairaman
Ali Alfaifi
Radiological disaster response self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia
BMC Medical Education
Disaster response
Self-efficacy
Radiological disaster
Nuclear emergency
Nursing education
title Radiological disaster response self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia
title_full Radiological disaster response self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia
title_fullStr Radiological disaster response self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia
title_full_unstemmed Radiological disaster response self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia
title_short Radiological disaster response self-efficacy of final-year nursing students and interns at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia
title_sort radiological disaster response self efficacy of final year nursing students and interns at jazan university saudi arabia
topic Disaster response
Self-efficacy
Radiological disaster
Nuclear emergency
Nursing education
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-06976-4
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