Nursing roles in disaster zones: Experiences and lessons from Turkey's 2023 earthquakes.
Ronen Segev, Moriya Suliman, Roee Gorodetzer and 2 others
PMID 38602067WHAT IT FOUND
Nurses in a disaster relief team described initial detachment evolving into camaraderie through shared caregiving.
Key challenges included language barriers, weather conditions, and differing clinical protocols. Post-mission, they highlighted the need for better nurse-to-physician ratios, compatible medical records software, and structured psychological closure.
Key findings
01Participants described an initial feeling of detachment or 'otherness' that gradually evolved into a sense of camaraderie as they engaged in interactions and caregiving experiences with the local team.
02Major challenges in the disaster zone included inclement weather, language barriers, and difficulties collaborating with local teams due to differences in working methods and care standards.
03Post-mission lessons emphasized the need for an improved nurse-to-physician ratio, medical records language compatibility, and structured psychological closure after deployment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study focuses solely on the perspectives of foreign nurses from one specific delegation, excluding local staff, physicians, or other health professionals. The context of integrating into an existing hospital facility is uncommon in disaster zones where infrastructure is often destroyed, limiting generalizability to all disaster scenarios. The sample size is small (22 participants) and from a single country's military medical corps.
Declared interests
No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these findings apply to all disaster scenarios. The delegation worked in an existing hospital facility, which is an uncommon situation in disasters where infrastructure is typically destroyed. Additionally, the results reflect only the nurses' perspectives, not those of local teams or other professions.