Floods are understood as natural disasters because they disrupt the notion of a social order. The purpose of this research was to explore the lived experiences of nurses who worked at a selected hospital, Chennai during floods. A qualitative methodology using a phenomenology framework was employed, using in-depth interviews to elicit nurses ’perceptions of their experience. A convenient sample of six nurses who provided care during floods was needed to reach saturation. Data analysis was based on van Kamm's methodology. The description of the lived experience unfolded sequentially with responses to the situation including chaos, reality check, reorganizing, stabilizing and finally planning for the future. The themes, which emerged, suggest that the lived experience mirrored the phases of nursing process. Implications for nursing practice were discussed.
Qualitative research, Phenomenology, lived experiences in floods by nurses
