Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
9-2018
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Program
Nursing
Advisor
Donna M. Nickitas
Committee Members
Steven L. Baumann
Harriet Goodman
Keville Frederickson
Francis LaFauci
Subject Categories
Nursing
Keywords
Limb Loss, Haiti, Earthquake, Traumatic Amputation, Nursing, Phenomenology, Amedeo Giorgi
Abstract
Amputation of a limb is a traumatic and disabling condition that impacts the lives of people worldwide. Trauma remains the leading cause of major limb amputation, second only to Diabetes Mellitus and dysvascular complications (Ziegler-Graham, MacKenzie, Ephraim, Travison, & Bookmeyer, 2008). Little is known about the experience of traumatic amputation for Haitian Adults, therefore this study was to understand the lived experience of traumatic amputation in Haiti. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experience of traumatic amputations as talked about by adults who suffered an amputation because of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Eight Haitian adult women between the ages of 19-48 participated, by means of in-depth interviews describing the meaning of traumatic amputation within the context of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Amedeo Giorgi’s (2010) four-step descriptive phenomenological method was applied to interpret and reflect on the findings of the study. Giorgi’s phenomenological method was appropriate for this study as it provided access to the lived experiences as described by individuals who lived a traumatic amputation as a consequence of the earthquake. The findings of the study revealed traumatic amputation uncovered four interconnected essential themes-ordeals of physical and emotional instability, marginalized to the fringes of society, pulled to security and safety by family and friends and deprived of norms and possessing hope- that illuminated the experience. The Roy Adaptation Model of Nursing (2009) was used as a framework to reflect upon the findings. The findings may contribute to nursing science by uncovering the meaning of the traumatic event of losing a limb.
Keywords: Limb Loss, Haiti, Earthquake, Traumatic Amputation, Nursing, Phenomenology, Amedeo Giorgi
Recommended Citation
Alexandre, Margarett, "The Lived Experience of Traumatic Amputation for Haitian Adults" (2018). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2878