Enlightenment from post disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation based on the 10-year life experience of amputees in Wenchuan earthquake

  Objective  To explore the problems, difficulties and obstacles experienced by amputees caused by Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 after their return to community for 10 year, so as to provide basis for formulating long-term rehabilitation and nursing plan.

  Methods  The descriptive research method was used to conduct in-depth face-to-face interviews with 22 participants, and the data were analyzed by qualitative content analysis.

  Results  Based on the exploration of the 10-year life experience of amputees in Wenchuan earthquake, four core themes were extracted, namely: (1) phantom limb stump pain: insurmountable by all means; (2) using prosthetics: embarrassing to learn walking; (3) facing society: limitations and hardships; (4) facing the future: standing up again.

  Conclusions  The overall rehabilitation needs of lower limb amputees in Wenchuan earthquake are worthy of attention. Nurses should work with patients and their families together to formulate a community rehabilitation nursing plan to facilitate their re-adaptation and integration into family and community life, Nurses need to actively provide multiple resources for the wounded, coordinate and communicate, and promote the wounded to make independent life and employment plans, so that they can get dignity and equal opportunities.