The frequency of disasters world-wide has significantly increased in recent years, leading to an increase in the number of mass-casualty incidents (MCIs). These MCIs can overwhelm health care systems, requiring hospitals to respond quickly and effectively, often with limited resources. While numerous studies have identified the challenges in managing MCIs and have emphasized the importance of hospital disaster preparedness, there is a research gap in the preparedness level and response capacities of district hospitals in Nepal.

This study attempts to fill this gap by understanding the perception of hospital staff in managing MCIs in district hospitals of Nepal.

A qualitative case study was conducted in three district hospitals in Nepal. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the hospital personnel, using an interview guide. An inductive thematic analysis was carried out to understand their perception on the most recent MCI management.

Three themes emerged from the data analysis: enablers in MCI management, barriers in MCI management, and recommendations for the future. Use of multiple communication channels, mobilization of entire hospital teams, mobilization of police in crowd control, presence of disaster store, and pre-identified triage areas were the major enablers that facilitated successful MCI management. Nonetheless, the study also revealed challenges such as a lack of knowledge on MCI response among new staff, disruptions caused by media and visitors, and challenges in implementing triage.

This study emphasized the importance of hospital disaster preparedness in managing MCIs and highlighted the significance of overcoming barriers and utilizing enablers for an efficient response. The findings of this study can provide the basis for the Ministry of Health and Population Nepal and district hospitals to plan initiatives for the effective management of MCIs in the future.

A Mass Casualty Incident response (MCI) full scale exercise (FSEx) assures MCI first responder (FR) competencies. Simulation and serious gaming platforms (Simulation) have been considered to achieve and maintain FR competencies. The translational science (TS) T0 question was asked: how can FRs achieve similar MCI competencies as a FSEx through the use of MCI simulation exercises?

T1 stage (Scoping Review): PRISMA-ScR was conducted to develop statements for the T2 stage modified Delphi (mD) study. 1320 reference titles and abstracts were reviewed with 215 full articles progressing for full review leading to 97 undergoing data extraction.

T2 stage (mD study): Selected experts were presented with 27 statements derived from T1 data with instruction to rank each statement on a 7-point linear numeric scale, where 1 = disagree and 7 = agree. Consensus amongst experts was defined as a standard deviation ≤ 1.0.

After 3 mD rounds, 19 statements attained consensus and 8 did not attain consensus.

MCI simulation exercises can be developed to achieve similar competencies as FSEx by incorporating the 19 statements that attained consensus through the TS stages of a scoping review (T1) and mD study (T2), and continuing to T3 implementation, and then T4 evaluation stages.

Hospitals around the world need to be safe and prepared to face disasters, being these man-made or caused by natural hazards. The Hospital Safety Index (HSI) is a tool developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) that allows access to the level of preparedness of hospitals; it is the most widely used instrument of its kind. Although the HSI is frequently used by hospitals and healthcare facilities around the world, scientific literature on its application in real life is scarce and qualitative studies are absent. By adopting a qualitative methodology, this study aims to investigate the use of the HSI to assess disaster preparedness in hospitals and healthcare facilities, identify challenges and facilitators of the HSI use, and devise recommendations for future adaptations of the tool.

A retrospective qualitative study employing semi-structured online interviews was conducted to gather opinions and perspectives of professionals using the HSI to assess disaster preparedness. Participants were recruited by contacting via email the authors of scientific publications on the use of the HSI.

In total, nine people from three different countries (Serbia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia) and having different professional backgrounds agreed to participate in this study. They shared the reasons for their choice of using the HSI, against other tools, as well as the steps taken before and during data collection. Strengths and weaknesses of the HSI were identified and authors reported the challenges they encountered in the preparatory phase and during data collection. Modifications of the tool and recommendations for the future were proposed targeting both researchers and hospital managers.

As far as the authors know, this is the first qualitative study examining the methodological implications of using the HSI and providing practical recommendations that can advance the HSI tool and foster its use for disaster preparedness assessments worldwide.

A Mass Casualty Incident response (MCI) full scale exercise (FSEx) assures MCI first responder competencies. Simulation and serious gaming platforms (Simulation) have been considered to achieve and maintain first responder competencies with the challenge of the FSEx. The translational science (TS) T0 question: How can students achieve similar MCI competencies through the use of simulation MCI exercises as with a FSEx?

Initial TS phase T1: Scoping Review

A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Review was conducted to develop statements for the TS second phase T2 modified Delphi study. 1320 reference titles and abstracts were reviewed with 215 full articles progressing for full review leading to 97 undergoing data extraction.

Second TS stage T2: modified Delphi study

The database was analyzed and initial draft statements were created. Selected modified Delphi experts were presented with 27 statements with instructions to rank each statement on a seven-point linear numeric scale, where 1 = disagree and 7 = agree. Consensus amongst experts was defined as a standard deviation ≤1.0.

After three modified Delphi rounds 19 statements attained consensus and eight did not attain a consensus.

The modified Delphi experts agreed that the simultaneous integration of individual duty and incident management skills should be incorporated into simulation MCI exercise design to achieve competencies depending on high physical fidelity to develop the individual’s manual abilities, as well as high conceptual fidelity, to develop the individual’s clinical reasoning and problem-solving skills. MCI simulation exercises can be developed to achieve similar competencies as FSExs incorporating the 19 statements that attained consensus through the TS phases of a scoping review (T1) and modified Delphi study (T2). The TS process should continue with development of these exercises in the T3 implementation stage and then evaluated in the T4 stage.

Hospital preparedness for a massive influx of victims relies, to a certain extent, on actions, programs, and systems that are created and executed ahead of time, but also on the knowledge, skills, and professional competences of the hospital's staff. This study aims to understand the factors influencing the preparedness of Tunisian University Hospital staff in facing a massive influx of victims.

This is a multi-method qualitative descriptive study, conducted in nine general University Hospitals (UH) in Tunisia; the first component was a phenomenological design via open-ended interviews; the second component was a qualitative observational non-participatory design via field observations.

17 participants were recruited, in an intentional non-probabilistic way. Participants to this study discussed issues related to the material and financial resources of their hospitals; the psychological impact of managing an influx of victims; their training, their involvement in the process, and the norm versus the circumstances in the field. Which led to the conclusion that: "For multiple reasons, the Tunisian University Hospitals are not ready to properly manage a massive influx of victims"

This multi-method qualitative study discussed the factors that affected the preparedness of staff and readiness of UHs included. Factors were mainly resources (material and financial), psychological burden, lack of training, lack of involvement in the process and issues related to evidence-based practice. Data collected supports the idea that more research and more practical interventions need to be performed to increase the preparedness level of Tunisian UHs and their staff.

Midway through the ‘Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030’, many nations are spending time, money and effort to enhance their level of preparedness when facing disasters, on the other hand communities, countries and even continents are being left behind. This study was conducted aiming at evaluating the level of disaster preparedness and response of Tunisian University Hospitals.

This is a cross-sectional nationwide study conducted in Tunisia, from November 2020 to April 2021. Including nine Tunisian University Hospitals and using the Hospital Safety Index. The data were analyzed using the 'Module and safety index calculator'.

This study showed that seven out of the nine University Hospitals were assigned the ‘B’ category of safety with overall safety indexes that ranged between 0.37 and 0.62. Also, four out of nine University Hospitals had safety scores less than 0.20 regarding their emergency and disaster management.

This is the first study to evaluate disaster preparedness and response of university hospitals in Tunisia and in north Africa. It showed that the lack of knowledge, resources and willingness, are the most important issues that need to be addressed in order to enhance the preparedness of Tunisian hospitals.

Considering the need for hospital disaster preparedness post-Nepal earthquake 2015, the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal developed a Hospital Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan (HDPRP) for mass casualty management. However, until now, there is no scientific literature on how the district hospitals, which are the major health service providers in Nepal, implemented their HDPRP during mass casualty incidents (MCIs). So, this study aims to understand how the HDPRP was implemented during MCIs in three district public hospitals of Nepal.

A mixed sequential QUANT-QUAL study was designed. Out of seven districts under the severely hit category by Nepal Earthquake 2015, three districts were selected randomly. For the quantitative component, the WHO hospital emergency response checklist was adapted which was self-administered in each hospital. Based on a scoring system, each hospital was placed in one of three categories (effective, insufficient, unacceptable), to assess the level of HDPRP implementation. For the qualitative component, semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand how the HDPRP was implemented in each hospital. An inductive thematic analysis was carried out. All information was collected for the most recent management of MCI reported in the hospital.

Out of three hospitals, two hospitals have effectively implemented their HDPRP, whereas one has insufficient implementation. Three themes emerged during the data analysis: enablers in implementation of HDPRP, barriers in implementation of HDPRP, and recommendations for the future. Multiple enablers and barriers were identified for the implementation of HDPRP, and the recommendations were identified for the hospital, hospital staff, and external stakeholders.

Implementation of HDPRP as per the protocol is difficult due to many external and internal factors that arise while managing the MCIs. The findings of this study provide the basis for the Ministry of Health and Population and district hospitals for the future update of HDPRP and planning of MCIs.