Summary: This study reports on the First Regional Support Nurse Training Workshop, held in July 2024. The workshop was designed to enhance the disaster response capabilities of nursing professionals, addressing challenges in regional healthcare during large-scale disasters. The workshop was organized in response to a decline in the number of registered disaster support nurses in Hamamatsu City. To address this issue, the Regional Disaster Preparedness and Human Resources Education Center (R-CEC) collaborated with Hamamatsu City to develop a practical disaster training program aimed at increasing the number of disaster support nurses and improving their preparedness for disaster scenarios. The workshop curriculum was created based on participants’ needs and included lectures, hands-on practical exercises, and group discussions. These sessions focused on improving nursing professionals’ ability to respond quickly and accurately during disaster situations. Fifty-three nursing professionals from the region participated in the workshop, which took place on July 21, 2024. After the workshop, a review session was conducted to gather feedback from participants, allowing for discussions on the workshop’s effectiveness and potential areas for improvement. The workshop successfully provided participants with essential disaster response skills and knowledge. The practical exercises, in particular, were highly rated for their relevance to real-world scenarios. The feedback session revealed that participants felt more confident in their disaster response abilities, and suggestions for further improving the workshop’s content and structure were noted. The First Regional Support Nurse Training Workshop achieved its goal of enhancing disaster preparedness among nursing professionals. This initiative is expected to contribute significantly to the disaster resilience of regional healthcare systems by ensuring that nursing staff are better equipped to handle emergencies. Future workshops will aim to build on this success, further expanding the program and incorporating participant feedback for continuous improvement.
Masato Kondo (Sun,) studied this question.