Introduction: Nurses, as key healthcare providers, play a critical role in disaster response, especially in resource-limited, disaster-prone areas such as the Mamuju district in Indonesia. Psychological preparedness is vital for nurses to manage stress and trauma while delivering psychosocial support during disasters. Despite its importance, research on psychological preparedness tailored for nurses is limited. This study developed an intervention module to enhance emergency nurses’ psychological preparedness, integrating cultural context and professional demands. Methods: A sequential mixed-method action research design was employed. Phase 1 developed a module with three components across seven sessions: disaster preparedness, nurses’ roles, and stress management. Expert reviews validated the module, leading to refinements. Phase 2 tested the module in a pre-post design without a control group, involving 59 emergency nurses across two groups. Participants met the criteria, including at least one year of emergency experience and exposure to the 2021 earthquake. Quantitative data were collected using DASS-21 and the PREPARED tool, and qualitative assessments were conducted during training. Results: The expert review process indicated that the module adequately addressed key aspects, scoring ≥3 for most components, except Session 7: Stress Management (Physical), general assessment components, and the program introduction. Consequently, adaptations were made to improve these sections. Quantitative analysis (t-tests) in Phase 2 revealed that the first training group demonstrated a greater reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress levels (as measured by DASS-21) compared to the second group. However, the PREPARED tool gain scores showed no significant difference between the two groups. Qualitative findings supported these results, highlighting the diverse sources and impacts of stress, as well as participants’ subjective improvements following physical and breathing exercises. Conclusion: The disaster preparedness module enhances nurses’ stress management and readiness, demonstrating its potential to improve psychological preparedness in disaster contexts.
Pertiwi et al. (Sun,) studied this question.