A PRISMA-driven systematic review for determination of earthquake and nursing studies

Background: There is growing recognition worldwide of the role played by nurses in disaster management. Earthquakes account for a significant proportion of natural disasters, and merit considerable study due to the associated losses. There is, however, a gap in literature on nursing during earthquakes in terms of the scope of the studies conducted to date, and what needs to be done in the future. Objective: This study makes a review of the studies of earthquakes and nursing published between 2010 and 2020, and carries out a systematic analysis of the data obtained from these studies. The intention in this regard is to establish an overall picture of earthquakes and nursing, and to develop recommendations for future studies in this field. Methods: Studies published between 2010 and 2020 were identified from a systematic search of the CINAHL, Medline, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases using the keywords "earthquake" and "nursing". Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terminology was used to search. All identified studies were systematically reviewed and placed into either a qualitative or quantitative design. Results: A total of 19 eligible studies were identified from 665 potentially relevant articles. The findings of the study were organized under three development areas: practical, psychosocial and professional. Conclusion: More research is needed in this area to gain both knowledge and skills for nurses working and caring for victims of earthquakes. This study can help to develop future research on nursing and earthquake.