The effects of drill-based triage education on the retention of applied knowledge, confidence, and satisfaction of Iranian nursing students

Abstract

Background & Objective: Mass casualty incidents (MCIs) require rapid and accurate triage. Drill-based training may help nursing students get ready for MCIs. In this quasi-experimental study, we checked how well drill-based triage education works in improving applied knowledge, confidence, and satisfaction among Iranian nursing undergraduates. Materials & Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 30 sixth-semester nursing students enrolled in the course “Risk Management in Disasters and Emergencies” were selected using convenience sampling and randomized (1:1) into two groups: a control group, which received a lecture, case discussion, and video presentation, and an intervention group, which participated in the same training supplemented by a practical drill exercise. Both received 2 hours of didactic instruction on START and Jump-START protocols, video showing, and case discussion. One week later, the intervention group did a 2-hour high-fidelity MCI simulation with standardized patients. Pre-and one-month post-tests checked applied knowledge, self-rated confidence, and satisfaction. Data were analyses by ANCOVA, controlling for baseline scores using SPSS version 20. Results: The average age of students was 22.43 ± 1.36 years, and 63.3% of them were female. Both groups showed significant gains in applied knowledge (control: 5.00 ± 1.77→12.47 ± 0.83, p < .001; intervention: 5.27 ± 1.16→12.53 ± 0.64, p < .001), but only the simulation group showed a significant confidence increase (1.93 ± 0.59→3.13 ± 0.74, p < .001). Satisfaction was high, but there was no significant difference between groups (control: 18.87 ± 4.01 vs. intervention: 19.33 ± 2.72; p = .712), and post-test between-group differences reached significance only for confidence (p < .001). Conclusion: Drill-based triage training may help student confidence, though it showed no significant advantage over traditional methods in applied knowledge or satisfaction. A blended instructional approach appears equally effective. Further studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these findings.