Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Science (DSc) in Emergency Management
Department
Emergency Management & Public Administration
Committee Chair
Tanveer Islam
Abstract
Disaster preparedness is a critical component of undergraduate nursing education, yet traditional instructional approaches often inadequately prepare students for the complexity and uncertainty of real-world emergencies. Emerging literature suggests that gamification and serious games may enhance engagement and applied learning; however, limited research has examined their integration within nursing curricula from the perspective of faculty responsible for instructional design. This convergent mixed-methods study investigated the extent of integration, perceived effectiveness, and practical utility of gamification and serious games in undergraduate nursing education for disaster preparedness. Quantitative data were collected through a national survey of faculty teaching in CCNE- and ACEN-accredited undergraduate nursing programs across the United States (N = 614), and qualitative data were obtained through virtual focus groups with a purposive subsample of participants (n = 29). Findings indicated generally positive perceptions of effectiveness for engagement and disaster-related learning, with gamification implemented more frequently than serious games and familiarity strongly associated with use. Key barriers included limited time, training, and access to validated disaster-specific resources. Qualitative themes emphasized instructional value, accreditation alignment, faculty readiness, institutional support, and the need for scalable implementation models. These results provide empirical support and practical guidance for integrating game-based learning to strengthen disaster preparedness in undergraduate nursing education.