Mediating Role of Disaster Knowledge Level in the Effect of Nurses' Crisis Leadership on Responsibility Taking Behavior After the Türkiye–Syria Earthquake

Aim: This study aims to examine the effect of nurses' crisis leadership on their responsibility-taking behaviors and determine whether the level of disaster-related knowledge mediates this relationship. Methods: This study was conducted using a cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational design; statistical methods, including mediating variable analysis, were applied. The sample consisted of 563 nurses working in six Hatay province hospitals devastated by the earthquakes. Results: Crisis leadership was positively associated with nurses' taking responsibility behavior and disaster knowledge level. The level of disaster knowledge partially mediated the relationship between crisis leadership and taking responsibility. Conclusion: This study revealed that the effect of crisis leadership on nurses' responsibility-taking behavior was strengthened by their level of disaster knowledge. This finding suggests that education and information about disaster experiences play a critical role in increasing nurses' initiative-taking capacity. Implications for Nursing Practice and Policies: These results highlight the need to provide comprehensive training programs and information materials for nurses to demonstrate effective leadership under disaster conditions. In addition, increasing the knowledge of nurses in the field of disaster management supports the health system in becoming more resilient to crises through policy changes and guidelines being put into practice. © 2025 Wiley Periodicals LLC.