Perinatal nursing in uncertain times: the Katrina effect

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Phenomenology
• Disaster Response

Background:

• Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area.
• Healthcare systems faced unprecedented challenges during the disaster.
• Perinatal nurses' experiences in disaster settings are under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences of perinatal nurses during Hurricane Katrina.
• To understand the shared meanings of providing nursing care amidst disaster.
• To identify the impact of Hurricane Katrina on perinatal nursing practice.

Main Methods:

• Interpretative phenomenology was employed.
• Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 perinatal nurses.
• Reflective thematic analysis guided the data analysis.

Main Results:

• Key themes included duty to care, conflicts in duty, and uncertain times.
• Nurses experienced chaos, fear, hopelessness, and abandonment during evacuation.
• Strength, grief, anger, and eventual recovery were significant aspects of their experience.

Conclusions:

• Disaster nursing requires adaptability, strong basic skills, and problem-solving.
• Nurses faced uncertainty and the need for self-preservation.
• Ongoing support is vital for nurses to cope with trauma exposure and rebound from disaster experiences.