Nursing leadership in disasters - A scoping review with special references to competencies

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to map available evidence from literature to get an overview of what is known of role of nurses in leadership during disasters. A scoping review method was used to investigate existing literature. The objective was to identify key arguments on importance of nurses’ leadership role in disasters, to identify competencies essential in disaster nursing leadership and to observe what literature says about needs of field of future disaster nursing leadership. Scoping review consisted total of 17 articles published between 2014-2019. The analysis of included articles was conducted with inductive content analysis method.

Key findings in nurses’ role in disaster leadership fell in four categories. Nurses provide skills in leadership and knowledge in care during disasters and health care is dependent on nurses because nurses are usually largest professional group in health care. Nurses are expected to take role in leadership during disasters because nurses are trusted, it benefits the population and leadership is assumed to be part of nursing. Unpredictability and frequency of disasters puts health care leadership in pivotal demand, and therefore nurses are expected to take role in leadership.

With core competencies for nurses’ in disaster leadership the results were clear: There is no consensus on what the main competencies for disaster nursing leaders are and there is vast paucity in literature concerning disaster leadership competencies. Even so, several articles listed numerous skills, abilities and characteristics essential to nurse in leadership role during disaster, which were then closer investigated in this thesis. Three main categories were found describing future needs for disaster nursing leadership: Field of study and strong scientific background needs to be developed. Education and evidence-based competencies needs to be developed and recognition and acknowledgement of nurses as leaders needs to be increased.

With this thesis, the importance of nurses’ leadership skills and training was highlighted and evidence in nursing leadership during disasters was emphasized. The information this thesis provides may be used as basic information for persons working in leader roles in disaster and as part of educational purposes.