Background: Reports from various centres and studies in Nigeria show a high mortality rate for cases that present to the Accident and Emergency Department. Thus, the need for a realistic hospital and emergency service response program designed on the principle of equitable distribution of appropriate equipment and supplies and well-trained emergency medical personnel, cannot be overemphasized. The study investigated emergency preparedness for emergency situations in selected hospitals in Ondo state. Methodology: A descriptive design was adopted. Using a convenience sampling technique, a total of 248 respondents were selected from four hospitals in Ondo State, Nigeria. Data collection was done with the aid of an in-depth interview schedule; and a checklist designed by WHO for basic requirement of materials/equipments that should be possessed by each facility in readiness for emergency/disaster. Results: Results revealed varying level of emergency preparedness as regards resourcefulness among nurses. Nurses in hospital A scored 41%, B (47%), C (45%) while nurses in hospital D scored 27%. The use of contingency plans, networking, use of worldwide web as well as multimedia were identified as available solutions by 12.5%, 11.7%, 10.5% and 9.3% of the nurses respectively. The study further identified the current roles played by nurses in achieving disaster preparedness as follows: facilitating communication and coordination of care (22.5%), acquisition of skills to give psychological support (17.7%), provision of quality health care (15.7%), giving first aid treatment (14.9%), and learning to triage victims (13.5%). The barriers and solutions to emergency preparedness were also investigated through interview schedule. The study showed that all the selected hospitals scored below average in terms of emergency preparedness. Specifically, hospital B recorded the highest score (47.4%) while hospital D recorded the lowest score (28.8%). Conclusion: It was concluded that emergency preparedness among nurses and in selected hospitals in Ondo State was at low level and materials/equipments needed to rescue the victims were inadequate.
Keywords: Nurses, Preparedness, emergency, evaluation and hospitals
