Exploring the necessary disaster plan components in Saudi Arabian hospitals

This study aimed to identify the necessary or essential components for inclusion in hospital disaster plans in Saudi Arabia, components that can be applied in education, planning, preparedness, and further research. The study involved a cross-sectional survey with questionnaires developed using a six-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 6 = strongly agree). Eight governmental hospitals from two cities were selected as the study's settings, and 850 questionnaires were distributed to doctors and nurses. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), using Varimax rotation with a loading of more than 0.40 for items, was used to extract the factors from the data; redundant items loaded on two or more factors were deleted. In total, 492 healthcare providers responded to the study (58% response rate). Both genders participated: 76% females and 20% males. Of the sample population, approximately 73% were nurses and 25% were physicians. After interpretation, five key factors (with a total variation of 63%) in hospital disaster plans emerged: (1) surge capacity, (2) decontamination, (3) communication, (4) safety and security, and (5) survivor support. The extracted components will inform hospital disaster preparedness and response; however, more research is needed to elaborate the needs, barriers, and enablers associated with these components.