en <span style="font-size:12pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#f79646">Aims:</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:"> Nurses are key members of the health care team, providing competent care for individuals, families, and communities in elective or emergent conditions. When nurses are involved in disaster management without proper preparation, their capacity to deliver care may be significantly compromised. However, </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:">assessment </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:">nurses&#39; perceptions of disaster preparedness and core competence are limited.<b> </b>The study assessed the nurses&#39; perception of disaster preparedness and core competence. And the association between sociodemographic characteristics and disaster preparedness and core competence.</span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:Palatino,serif"><span style="color:black"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#f79646">Instrument & Methods:</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:"> This cross-sectional study was conducted from February 22 to August 15, 2024, in four teaching hospitals (Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, Al-Kindi Teaching Hospital, and Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital) and three general hospitals (Al-Rumaitha Hospital, Alkhudier Hospital, and Al-Warkaa Hospital) in the mid-and south of Iraq. The data was analyzed using SPSS 20 and Microsoft Excel 2010 by an </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:">independent two-sample t-test </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:">analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p<0.05 significant level.</span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#f79646">Findings:</span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:">The total NPDCC score according to gender (p=0.044) and years of experience (p=0.021) had significant associations with the core competence perception. Also, the total NPDCC score according to the field of work (p=0.01), the nurses have a role in disasters (p=0.0291), and you have a role in disasters (p=0.0001) had significant associations with the disaster preparedness perception. </span></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:12pt"><span new="" roman="" style="font-family:" times=""><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:"><span style="color:#f79646">Conclusion:</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><span cambria="" style="font-family:"> <span style="color:black">Most nurses have no clear image of their role in disaster preparedness and are incompetent. However, disaster core competencies and skills are required to face upcoming disasters.</span></span></span></span></span> Disaster,Disaster Nursing,Disaster Planning,Perception, 355 361 http://ijwph.daneshafarand.org/browse.php?a_code=A-10-2263-1&slc_lang=en&sid=3 S.A. Jaafar 1003194753284600379591 1003194753284600379591 Yes Department of Adult Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Al-Muthanna, Samawa, Iraq M.B. Al-Jebouri 1003194753284600379549 1003194753284600379549 No Department of Adult Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq A.M. Mousa 1003194753284600379550 1003194753284600379550 No Department of Adult Nursing, College of Nursing, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq G.E. Bachai 1003194753284600379548 1003194753284600379548 No Department of Adult Nursing, Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital, Samawa, Iraq