Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T07:28:13.446Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Core Competencies in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance: A Systematic Review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2015

Alba Ripoll Gallardo ,
Ahmadreza Djalali ,
Marco Foletti ,
Luca Ragazzoni ,
Francesco Della Corte ,
Olivera Lupescu ,
Chris Arculeo ,
Gotz von Arnim ,
Tom Friedl  and
Michael Ashkenazi
...Show all authors
Alba Ripoll Gallardo*
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Ahmadreza Djalali
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Marco Foletti
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Luca Ragazzoni
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Francesco Della Corte
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Olivera Lupescu
Affiliation:
URGENTA, Clinical Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
Chris Arculeo
Affiliation:
Hanover Associates, Teddington, London, UK
Gotz von Arnim
Affiliation:
NHCS, National Health Career School of Management, Hennigsdorf/Berlin,Germany
Tom Friedl
Affiliation:
NHCS, National Health Career School of Management, Hennigsdorf/Berlin,Germany
Michael Ashkenazi
Affiliation:
Bonn International Center for Conversion, Bonn, University Clinic Bonn Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Bonn, Germany
Philipp Fisher
Affiliation:
Bonn International Center for Conversion, Bonn, University Clinic Bonn Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Bonn, Germany
Boris Hreckovski
Affiliation:
CROUMSA, Croatian Urgent Medicine and Surgery Association, Slav. Brod, Croatia
Amir Khorram-Manesh
Affiliation:
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden
Radko Komadina
Affiliation:
SBC, General & Teaching Hospital Celje, Medical Faculty Ljubljana, Slovenia
Konstanze Lechner
Affiliation:
German Aerospace Center (DLR), Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Marc Stal
Affiliation:
Global Risk Forum GRF Davos, Davos, Switzerland
Cristina Patru
Affiliation:
Clinical Emergency Hospital Bucharest, Romania
Frederick M. Burkle Jr.
Affiliation:
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Pier Luigi Ingrassia
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Alba Ripoll Gallardo, Centro di Ricerca Interdipartimentale in Medicina d’Emergenza e dei Disastri (CRIMEDIM), Università del Piemonte Orientale Via Ferrucci 33/Via Lanino 1, 28100 Novara, Italy (e-mail: [email protected]).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Disaster response demands a large workforce covering diverse professional sectors. Throughout this article, we illustrate the results of a systematic review of peer-reviewed studies to identify existing competency sets for disaster management and humanitarian assistance that would serve as guidance for the development of a common disaster curriculum. A systematic review of English-language articles was performed on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ERIC, and Cochrane Library. Studies were included if reporting competency domains, abilities, knowledge, skills, or attitudes for professionals involved disaster relief or humanitarian assistance. Exclusion criteria included abstracts, citations, case studies, and studies not dealing with disasters or humanitarian assistance. Thirty-eight papers were analyzed. Target audience was defined in all articles. Five references (13%) reported cross-sectorial competencies. Most of the articles (81.6%) were specific to health care. Eighteen (47%) papers included competencies for at least 2 different disciplines and 18 (47%) for different professional groups. Nursing was the most widely represented cadre. Eighteen papers (47%) defined competency domains and 36 (94%) reported list of competencies. Nineteen articles (50%) adopted consensus-building to define competencies, and 12 (31%) included competencies adapted to different professional responsibility levels. This systematic review revealed that the largest number of papers were mainly focused on the health care sector and presented a lack of agreement on the terminology used for competency-based definition. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:430–439)

Keywords

disaster medicine educationcompetency-based educationprofessionalizationhumanitarian aid
Type
Systematic Review
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 9 , Issue 4 , August 2015 , pp. 430 - 439
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Guha-Sapir, D, Hoyois, P, Below, R. Annual Disaster Statistical Review 2013: The Numbers and Trends. http://cred.be/sites/default/files/ADSR_2013.pdf. Published September 2014. Accessed December 10, 2014.Google Scholar
2. Willems, A, Waxman, B, Bacon, AK, et al. Interprofessional non-technical skills for surgeons in disaster response: a literature review. J Interprof Care. 2013;27:380-386.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3. Birch, M, Miller, S. Humanitarian assistance: standards, skills, training, and experience. BMJ. 2005;21:1199-1201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Burkle, FM Jr, Lyznicki, JM, James, JJ. Cross-disciplinary competency and professionalization in disaster medicine and public health. In: Gursky E, Hreckovski B, eds. Handbook for Pandemic and Mass-Casualty Planning and Response 2012. Amsterdam: IOS Press; 2012:72-83.Google Scholar
5. Subbarao, I, Lyznicki, JM, Hsu, EB, et al. A consensus-based educational framework and competency set for the discipline of disaster medicine and public health preparedness. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2008;2:57-68.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Djalali, A, Ingrassia, PL, Corte, FD, et al. Identifying deficiencies in national and foreign medical team responses through expert opinion surveys: Implications for education and training. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;19:1-5.Google Scholar
7. McCall, C. Scars of typhoon Haiyan still run deep 1 year on. Lancet. 2014;384(9955):1656-1657.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Yamada, S, Galat, A. Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan and climate justice. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2014;8:432-435.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9. Cranmer, HH, Biddinger, PD. Typhoon Haiyan and the professionalization of disaster response. N Engl J Med. 2014;27:1185-1187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. Johnson, K, Idzerda, L, Baras, R, et al. Competency-based standardized training for humanitarian providers: making humanitarian assistance a professional discipline. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2013;7:369-372.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11. Bradt, DA, Drummond, CM. Professionalization of disaster medicine—an appraisal of criterion-referenced qualifications. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2007;22:360-368.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12. Burkle, FM Jr. The development of multidisciplinary core competencies: the first step in the professionalization of disaster medicine and public health preparedness on a global scale. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2012;6:10-12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13. Leung, WC. Competency based medical training: review. BMJ. 2002;325:693-696.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14. Daily, E, Padjen, P, Birnbaum, M. A review of competencies developed for disaster healthcare providers: limitations of current processes and applicability. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2010;25:387-395.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15. Walsh, L, Subbarao, I, Gebbie, K, et al. Core competencies for disaster medicine and public health. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2012;6:44-52.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16. Schultz, CH, Koenig, KL, Whiteside, M, et al. National Standardized All-Hazard Disaster Core Competencies Task F. Development of national standardized all-hazard disaster core competencies for acute care physicians, nurses, and EMS professionals. Ann Emerg Med. 2012;59:196-208 e1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17. Kako, M, Mitani, S. A literature review of disaster nursing competencies in Japanese nursing journals. Collegian. 2010;17:161-173.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18. Cranmer, H, Chan, JL, Kayden, S, et al. Development of an evaluation framework suitable for assessing humanitarian workforce competencies during crisis simulation exercises. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29:69-74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19. Liberati, A, Altman, DG, Tetzlaff, J, et al. The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration. J Clin Epidemiol. 2009;62:e1-34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Public Health Preparedness & Response Core Competency Model. http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/documents/perlcPDFS/PreparednessCompetencyModelWorkforce-Version1_0.pdf. Published 2010. Accessed May 7, 2014.Google Scholar
21. Hodge, JG Jr., Gebbie, KM, Hoke, C, et al. Assessing competencies for public health emergency legal preparedness. J Law Med Ethics. 2008;36(1 Suppl):28-35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22. Markenson, D, DiMaggio, C, Redlener, I. Preparing health professions students for terrorism, disaster, and public health emergencies: core competencies. Acad Med. 2005;80:517-526.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23. The consortium of British Humanitarian Agencies (CBHA). Core humanitarian competencies framework. http://www.euprha.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/CBHA-Competencies-Framework-2012.pdf. Published 2012. Accessed May 7, 2014.Google Scholar
24. Jorgensen, AM, Mendoza, GJ, Henderson, JL. Emergency preparedness and disaster response core competency set for perinatal and neonatal nurses. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2010;39:450-465.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25. Florida Department of Health 2011. Recommended hospital staff core competencies for disaster preparedness. http://iroquois.org/userfiles/hospitalcorecompetencies.pdf. Published 2011. Accessed April 30, 2014.Google Scholar
26. Emergency Capacity Building Project 2006. Emergency Capacity Building Project staff capacity initiative. Humanitarian competencies study. http://www.euprha.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/ECB-project-Humanitarian-Competencies-Study-report-2006.pdf. Published 2006. Accessed May 7, 2014.Google Scholar
27. Van Wart, M, Kapucu, N. Crisis management competencies: the case of emergency managers in the USA. Public Manage Rev. 2011;13:489-511.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28. Harrison, LM, Davis, MV, MacDonald, PD, et al. Development and implementation of a public health workforce training needs assessment survey in North Carolina. Public Health Rep. 2005;120(Suppl 1):28-34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29. Hites, LS, Lafreniere, AV, Wingate, MS, et al. Expanding the public health emergency preparedness competency set to meet specialized local and evolving national needs: a needs assessment and training approach. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2007;13:497-505.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30. Columbia University. Core public health worker competencies for emergency preparedness and response. http://www.phf.org/resourcestools/Documents/emergencypreparednesscorecompetencies_Columbia_University.pdf. Published April 2001. Accessed April 30, 2014.Google Scholar
31. Weiner, E. Preparing nurses internationally for emergency planning and response. Online J Issues Nurs. 2006;11:4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32. Polivka, BJ, Stanley, SA, Gordon, D, et al. Public health nursing competencies for public health surge events. Public Health Nurs. 2008;25:159-165.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33. American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine competencies—2008. J Occup Environ Med. 2008;50:712-724.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
34. More, FG, Phelan, J, Boylan, R, et al. Predoctoral dental school curriculum for catastrophe preparedness. J Dent Educ. 2004;68:851-858.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35. American Red Cross. Develop nursing students’ disaster competency by working with the American Red Cross. http://www.westga.edu/~vickir/Healthcare/HC10 Identity/Link 5 -- ARC Nursing Student Disaster Competency PDF.pdf. Published 2004. Accessed April 29, 2014.Google Scholar
36. Mosca, NW, Sweeney, PM, Hazy, JM, et al. Assessing bioterrorism and disaster preparedness training needs for school nurses. J Public Health Manag Pract. November 2005; Suppl:S38-S44.Google Scholar
37. T NG. Disaster work in China: Tasks and competences for social workers. Social work education. 2012;31:538-556.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
38. Rottman, SJ, Shoaf, KI, Dorian, A. Development of a training curriculum for public health preparedness. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2005; Suppl:S128-S131.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
39. Kovács, G, Tatham, P, Larson, D. What skills are needed to be a humanitarian logistician? J Bus Logistics. 2012;33:245-258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
40. Hsu, EB, Thomas, TL, Bass, EB, et al. Healthcare worker competencies for disaster training. BMC Med Educ. 2006;6:19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
41. World Health Organization (WHO). Preparedness, integrating emergency. “Integrating emergency preparedness and response into undergraduate nursing curricula.” http://www.who.int/hac/publications/Nursing_curricula_followup_Feb08.pdf. Published February 2008. Accessed June 2, 2014.Google Scholar
42. Johnson, HL, Gaskins, SW, Seibert, DC. Clinical skill and knowledge requirements of health care providers caring for children in disaster, humanitarian and civic assistance operations: an integrative review of the literature. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28:61-68.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
43. Stanley, JM. Disaster competency development and integration in nursing education. Nurs Clin North Am. 2005;40:453-467.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
44. World Health Organization (WHO). ICN framework of disaster nursing competencies. http://myweb.polyu.edu.hk/~hswhocc/resource/D/2009DisasterNursingCompetencies.pdf. Published 2009. Accessed April 30, 2014.Google Scholar
45. Everly, GS Jr., Beaton, RD, Pfefferbaum, B, et al. On academics: training for disaster response personnel: the development of proposed core competencies in disaster mental health. Public Health Rep. 2008;123:539-542.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
46. Napa County 2009. NAPA County Public Health Division—public health preparedness. http://www.countyofnapa.org/publichealth/mrccorecompetencies/. Published 2009. Accessed May 7, 2014.Google Scholar
47. Humanitarian coordination competencies. http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.humanitarianinfo.org%2Fiasc%2Fdownloaddoc.aspx%3FdocID%3D5090%26type%3Dpdf&ei=Q3ZmUrDMcGb0QWW7oG4Dg&usg=AFQjCNFJhB_08XCW53hFLuWXcY_xqUU3ew&sig2=lb0F-OUYpsR9x3OMp7tVUw. Published 2009. Accessed May 7, 2014. Humanitarian coordination competencies 2006.Google Scholar
48. Yin, H, He, H, Arbon, P, et al. A survey of the practice of nurses’ skills in Wenchuan earthquake disaster sites: implications for disaster training. J Adv Nurs. 2011;67:2231-2238.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
49. Wisniewski, R, Dennik-Champion, G, Peltier, JW. Emergency preparedness competencies: assessing nurses’ educational needs. J Nurs Adm. 2004;34:475-480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
50. Kamal, A, Songwathana, P, Sia, SW. Knowledge and skills of emergency care during disaster for community health volunteers: a literature review. Nurse Media Journal of Nursing. 2012;2:371-381.Google Scholar
51. Mitchell, CS, Doyle, ML, Moran, JB, et al. Worker training for new threats: a proposed framework. Am J Ind Med. 2004;46:423-431.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
52. Gebbie, K, Standish, E. Competency-to-curriculum toolkit: developing curricula for public health workers. http://www.asph.org/userfiles/competency-to-curriculum-toolkit08.pdf. Published 2012. Accessed May 1, 2014.Google Scholar
53. Burkle, FM. Conversations in disaster medicine and public health: the profession. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2014;8:5-11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
54. Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) 2009. Guide to writing effective performance objectives, self accomplishments and evaluations. http://dcips.dtic.mil/documents/Guide_Writing_Effective_Objectives.pdf. Published Fall 2009. Accessed June 3, 2014.Google Scholar
55. Ingrassia, PL, Foletti, M, Djalali, A, et al. Education and training initiatives for crisis management in the European Union: a web-based analysis of available programs. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29:115-126.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
56. Wallis, L, Smith, W. Disaster medicine South Africa. Salt Lake City: Academic Press. 2011.Google Scholar
57. Seynaeve, G, Archer, F, Fisher, J, et al. International standards and guidelines on education and training for the multi-disciplinary health response to major events that threaten the health status of a community. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2004;19:S17-S30.Google ScholarPubMed