Qualitative insights into nurses' emotional and functional experiences in the 2023 military humanitarian mission to...

BACKGROUND: Humanitarian aid delegations play a crucial role in assisting victims of disasters worldwide. Nursing and medical teams are involved in treating injuries and illnesses, promoting health, and providing emotional support to patients. Such teams often have long-term emotional, social, and functional impacts. Those impacts can include post-traumatic stress disorder, disrupted social relationships, and decreased professional efficacy. This paper examines the emotional, social, and professional experiences of nurses participating in the Israeli Defence Forces’ (IDF) 2023 humanitarian operation in Turkey and their coping mechanisms. It also examines their perceptions of how this experience may have influenced their response to the events of October 7th and the ongoing war. METHODS: Twenty-seven nurses participated in a personal information form and the Life Events Checklist-5 (LEC-5) questionnaire, which evaluates previous trauma and life events. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted through Zoom. Data analyses were conducted using the seven-step method of the Colaizzi approach, and the research followed the COREQ guidelines to ensure comprehensive reporting and rigour. RESULTS: The discussion has revealed four themes and ten subthemes, which were identified and grouped into the following categories: emotional well-being, social and professional functioning, and coping with disaster exposure. The participants’ narratives highlight their remarkable resilience. They were able to achieve emotional balance, address emotional difficulties, increase functional resilience, and cope with disruptions in their family life. Professional resilience, competence, and challenges at work were also discussed. Some of the coping mechanisms that were employed were the use of different types of support, self-control, and the use of psychological support. They recalled the effects of the October 7th events and the Iron Swords War on their lives. The participants provided information about how to deal with natural and human-induced disasters. CONCLUSIONS: The paper highlights the emotional, social, and professional implications of humanitarian aid for nurses and how they cope. To ensure that subsequent experiences with delegation are enhanced, it is crucial to provide continuous psychological support to delegates both during and after their missions. Equally important are operational improvements, such as creating support groups, hiring professional translators, and implementing straightforward operational protocols, which can significantly enhance nurses’ experiences.