This descriptive study explores students' perceptions of personal and program preparedness for disasters. Participants in this online survey included 1,348 nursing students from every state plus Guam, Puerto Rico, and theVirgin Islands. The study explored three questions: a) the level of preparedness, including learning about different types of disasters, preparing disaster plans, creating disaster kits, and participating in community disaster response efforts; b) the impact of disasters on nursing students; and c) strategies to assist nursing students during disasters. Results indicated that nursing students throughout the country are generally not well prepared for disasters. Nurse educators need to develop strategies to prepare their students for disasters. The American Red Cross provides templates for organizations, including colleges and universities, to prepare their campuses for emergencies. Faculty need to collaborate with staff and students to develop and implement plans appropriate for their programs.

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When teaching young children about health care procedures, health care professionals must assess what children already know about human anatomy and physiology, otherwise known as "body knowledge," to correct misconceptions and expand children's knowledge of their bodies. This article summarizes studies published between 1935 and 2000 that were related to the development and assessment of children's body knowledge, using knowledge of the lungs as an exemplar of body knowledge. Types of instruments used to measure body knowledge are described, and suggestions for future studies are provided.

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To help student development as responsible and accountable leaders, a mentor model was incorporated into an established voluntary leadership course offered each semester. The student joins the National Student Nurses' Association, completes leadership projects, and contracts for the course grade. The mentor model is a leadership option that pairs senior students wanting to mentor with junior students wishing to be mentored. The authors describe the outcomes of the leadership-mentor experience.