Non-Pediatric Nurses’ Willingness to Provide Care to Pediatric Patients during a Disaster: An Assessment of Pediatric Surge Capacity in Four Midwestern Hospitals

To assess non-pediatric nurses' willingness to provide care to pediatric patients during a mass casualty event (MCE). Nurses from 4 non-pediatric hospitals in a major metropolitan Midwestern region were surveyed in the fall of 2018. Participants were asked about their willingness to provide MCE pediatric care. Hierarchical logistical regression was used to describe factors associated with nurses' willingness to provide MCE pediatric care. In total, 313 nurses were approached and 289 completed a survey (response rate = 92%). A quarter (25.3%, n = 73) would be willing to provide MCE care to a child of any age; 12% (n = 35) would provide care only to newborns in the labor and delivery area, and 16.6% (n = 48) would only provide care to adults. Predictors of willingness to provide care to a patient of any age during an MCE included providing care to the youngest-age children during routine duties, reporting confidence in calculating doses and administering pediatric medications, working in the emergency department, being currently or previously certified in PALS, and having access to pediatric-sized equipment in the unit or hospital. Pediatric surge capacity is lacking among nurses. Increasing nurses' pediatric care self-efficacy could improve pediatric surge capacity and minimize morbidity and mortality during MCEs.