Being Both Helpers and Victims: Health Professionals' Experiences of Working During a Natural Disaster. Issue 2 (3rd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hugelius, Karin; Adolfsson, Annsofie; Örtenwall, Per; Gifford, Mervyn
• Is Part Of: Prehospital and disaster medicine. Volume 32:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 117
• Page End: 123
• Publication Date: 2017-01-03
• Subjects: disaster medicine, -- disasters, -- health professionals, -- phenomenological hermeneutic method, -- relief work; Emergency medical services -- Periodicals; Emergency medicine -- Periodicals; Disaster medicine -- Periodicals; 616.025
• DOI: 10.1017/S1049023X16001412
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1049-023X

Abstract

Abstract: Background: In November 2013, the Haiyan typhoon hit parts of the Philippines. The typhoon caused severe damage to the medical facilities and many injuries and deaths. Health professionals have a crucial role in the immediate disaster response system, but knowledge of their experiences of working during and in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster is limited. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore health professionals' experiences of working during and in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster. Method: Eight health professionals were interviewed five months after the disaster. The interviews were analyzed using phenomenological hermeneutic methods. Results: The main theme, being professional and survivor, described both positive and negative emotions and experiences from being both a helper, as part of the responding organization, and a victim, as part of the surviving but severely affected community. Sub-themes described feelings of strength and confidence, feelings of adjustment and acceptance, feelings of satisfaction, feelings of powerless and fear, feelings of guilt and shame, and feelings of loneliness. Conclusion: Being a health professional during a natural disaster was a multi-faceted, powerful, and ambiguous experience of being part of the response system at the same time as being a survivor of the disaster. Personal values and altruistic motives as well as social aspects and stress-coping strategies to reach a balance between acceptance and control were important elements of the experience. Based on these findings, implications for disaster training and response strategies are suggested. K Hugelius, A Adolfsson, P Örtenwall, M Gifford .Being both helpers and victims: health professionals' experiences of working during a natural disaster .Prehosp Disaster Med .2017 ;32 (2 ):117 –123 .