Background <p>Disasters have a direct impact on the community, and nurses are the first health professionals to interact with people affected by disasters. So, the most common challenge faced by nurses is inadequate levels of preparedness, and equipping nursing students with disaster response skills is crucial. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Jennings disaster management model on nursing students’ knowledge and self-efficacy..</p> Method <p>This study used a convenience sample method and a quasi-experimental one-group pre-post-test study research design to conduct it on 648 nursing students at Port Said University, Egypt in 2024. The Jennings Disaster Management Model (JDMM), a structured four-phase approach to disaster preparedness, guided the intervention. Two tools were used to collect data: the Disaster Management Knowledge Questionnaire and the Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale..</p> Results <p>Post-intervention, the proportion of students with satisfactory disaster management knowledge rose from 0.8% to 75.0%, reflecting a significant improvement (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Mean self-efficacy scores also increased from 60.88 (SD = 15.12) to 83.27 (SD = 13.59), (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001).</p> Conclusion <p>Integrating structured disaster management education into nursing curricula substantially improves students’ preparedness, fostering individual competence and enhancing community resilience. Future research should examine long-term knowledge retention and practical application in real-world settings..</p>