Are maternal wards in government hospitals disaster prepared?: Systematic review

Abstract Background Disasters go hand in hand with injuries and medical emergencies. Hospitals need to be able to function and render services during a disaster or pandemic outbreak and overall disaster preparedness should be in place as disasters can strike at any moment. Disasters may include floods, earthquakes, and fires but also violence infliction and pandemics. Effective disaster preparedness would entail each hospital and every ward having its own individual plan in place and a prepared team to execute the plan. The purpose of this literature review was to explore the disaster-preparedness of maternity wards of a government hospital. Methods The research methodology consisted of a literature review of fewer than twenty articles and an analysis of the literature and aspects of disaster preparedness. All relevant databases were searched from 2005 to October 2022. The results were filtered by means of a PICO diagram and the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The researcher and co-reviewer reviewed the articles. The final list of articles were analysed and the key findings were extracted and analysed. Findings: An exploration of the literature may indicate which factors need to be improved. Findings indicate that many shortcomings can be identified as a repetitive pattern and theme that is evident in many of the articles reviewed. Key themes were identified such as special considerations for obstetric wards, guidelines for allocations of resources, surge capacity, communication systems, and a specialized train team for evacuation. Conclusion The implications of this study stretch from research knowledge and theory and implications for practice by making recommendations in both fields. The research findings may assist government hospitals and their obstetric wards to better understand and to improve their state of disaster preparedness.