The role of the organisation following disaster: Insights from nurse experiences after the Canterbury earthquakes

Abstract

This research aimed to explore nurse perceptions of impacts and organisational support following the Canterbury NZ earthquake sequence. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 11 nurses in the Canterbury area to explore the challenges faced during and following the 2010/11 earthquake sequence. The interviews took place three years after the start of the earthquake sequence to enable exploration of longer term aspects of the recovery process. The interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. A number of themes were identified that related to organisations, including initial impact, emotional impact, work impact and organisational support. Changes to workloads and roles were both organisationally driven and personally motivated. There is a need to consider the psychosocial impact of working and living in a post disaster context. There is also a need to develop support packages to ensure the health and wellbeing of health care professionals. This research highlights a number of ways in which organisations can support employees following disasters.