Effectiveness of Disaster Nursing Education Programs: A Meta-Analysis Focused on Knowledge, Attitude, and Skill Domains

Objective Disaster preparedness is a critical component of nursing education as nurses are expected to respond effectively to public health emergencies. Various disaster nursing education programs have been developed globally, but their effectiveness across cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains remains unclear. This meta-analysis evaluated the overall impact of these programs across learning domains. Methods Eleven experimental or quasi-experimental studies involving nursing students and nurses were included. The pooled effect size was calculated using Hedges’ g. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q and the I 2 statistic. Subgroup analyses were conducted by learning domain. Publication bias was assessed via a funnel plot. Results The overall effect size was large (Hedges’ g = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.491-2.399, P < .001). Heterogeneity was high (Q = 377.91, P < .001, I 2 = 97.4%). The affective domain showed the strongest effect (g = 2.96), followed by psychomotor (g = 1.98) and cognitive (g = 0.66). The funnel plot showed minimal publication bias. Conclusions Disaster nursing education programs significantly improve learning outcomes across domains, especially in attitudes and practical skills. These findings support the need for integrated curricula in nursing education.