Alanazi Majed Awad, Shaban Mostafa
Medical Surgical Nursing Department, College of Nursing, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia.
Community Health Nursing Department, College of Nursing, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia.
Int Nurs Rev. 2025 Jun;72(2):e70029. doi: 10.1111/inr.70029.
This study aimed to explore the challenges emergency nurses face in providing continuity of care for chronic disease patients during disasters in the Northern Region of Saudi Arabia and the strategies they employ to overcome these challenges.
Emergency nurses play a pivotal role in disaster response, particularly in managing care for patients with chronic diseases. Resource shortages, communication breakdowns, and patient displacement frequently disrupt care continuity during disasters, exacerbating health risks for vulnerable populations.
Ensuring consistent care for chronic disease patients during disasters is critical for mitigating negative health outcomes. Disruptions caused by disasters highlight the need for strategies that support emergency nurses in maintaining care standards under resource-limited and high-stress conditions.
A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using semistructured interviews with 14 emergency nurses from a general hospital in the Northern Region of Saudi Arabia. Thematic analysis, adhering to COREQ guidelines, was applied to identify key challenges and solutions.
Three key themes were identified: resource limitations, communication barriers, and patient displacement. Nurses reported challenges such as shortages of essential medications, disruptions in communication networks, and difficulties in maintaining continuity of care for displaced patients. To mitigate these challenges, they employed strategies including improvisation, enhanced communication protocols, and resilience-building practices.
The findings highlight the critical role of emergency nurses in disaster response and the necessity of adaptive practices. Addressing resource scarcity, fostering robust communication systems, and supporting nurse well-being are essential to maintaining care quality during disasters.
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND/OR HEALTH POLICY: Emergency nurses require robust support systems to maintain care continuity during disasters. Policymakers should integrate disaster preparedness into healthcare frameworks by enhancing resource allocation, developing resilient communication infrastructure, and providing targeted training programs. These measures can improve nurse capacity, optimize patient outcomes, and strengthen health systems' disaster response capabilities.
本研究旨在探讨沙特阿拉伯北部地区急诊护士在灾难期间为慢性病患者提供连续性护理时所面临的挑战，以及他们用以克服这些挑战的策略。
急诊护士在灾难应对中发挥着关键作用，尤其是在管理慢性病患者的护理方面。资源短缺、沟通中断和患者流离失所经常在灾难期间扰乱护理的连续性，加剧了弱势群体的健康风险。
在灾难期间确保慢性病患者获得持续护理对于减轻负面健康结果至关重要。灾难造成的破坏凸显了需要采取策略来支持急诊护士在资源有限和高压力条件下维持护理标准。
采用定性描述性研究方法，对沙特阿拉伯北部地区一家综合医院的14名急诊护士进行半结构化访谈。运用遵循COREQ指南的主题分析法来确定关键挑战和解决方案。
确定了三个关键主题：资源限制、沟通障碍和患者流离失所。护士们报告了诸如基本药物短缺、通信网络中断以及为难民患者维持护理连续性方面的困难等挑战。为了减轻这些挑战，他们采用了包括即兴发挥、加强沟通协议和增强复原力的做法等策略。
研究结果凸显了急诊护士在灾难应对中的关键作用以及适应性做法的必要性。解决资源稀缺问题、建立强大的通信系统以及支持护士的福祉对于在灾难期间维持护理质量至关重要。
结论及对护理和/或卫生政策的影响：急诊护士在灾难期间需要强大的支持系统来维持护理的连续性。政策制定者应通过加强资源分配、发展有弹性的通信基础设施以及提供有针对性的培训项目，将灾难准备纳入医疗保健框架。这些措施可以提高护士的能力，优化患者结局，并加强卫生系统的灾难应对能力。
