Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, Ahead of Print.
BackgroundEarthquakes cause significant psychological and physical trauma in children, especially when leading to amputations, as they disrupt physical, emotional, and social well-being.AimThis study was conducted phenomenologically to explore the experiences of children amputated in the Kahramanmaraş earthquake and their parents/caregivers.MethodThis study was conducted as a phenomenological study with children who were amputated in the Kahramanmaraş earthquake and their parents/caregivers between August and October 2023. The sample of the study consisted of seven children and their parents/caregivers who met the inclusion criteria and volunteered to participate in the study through purposive sampling method. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using an introductory information form and a semistructured interview form developed by the researcher.ResultsIt was found that 57.2% of the children who participated in our study were male and their mean age was 11.25 ± 4.02 years. It was found that all the children’s houses were destroyed in the earthquake, they were trapped under the debris, and they experienced losses in their family members and relatives. As a result of data analysis, nine themes were identified as apocalypse, pain, fear, and hopelessness for children and apocalypse, helplessness, pain, anger, and hopelessness for parents/caregivers.Conclusions:This study found that earthquake-affected amputee children perceived the earthquake as an apocalypse, experienced prolonged pain during hospitalization, continued to fear the earthquake, and felt hopeless about the future. The children’s parents/caregivers also reported that they perceived the earthquake as an apocalypse, that they felt helpless and hopeless for themselves and the children, and that the children had angry/irritable behavior with pain after the disaster.