Life Experiences of Traumatics Post Amputation Clients: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Traffic accidents are the biggest contributor to the death rate in the world. A direct accident can caused death, disability or damage to a limb that need amputation. Amputation is a life changing process. To determine the life experiences of post-amputation traumatic clients. It’s a qualitative research with descriptive phenomenology approach. The participant taken by using purposive sampling technique until find the data saturated. The data collected by indeepth interview method on 6 clients who underwent amputation at RSU Siaga Medika Banyumas. The analytical method used structured approach from Stevick-Collaizi and Keen. There are 3 themes found in this study : (1)The Impact of Amputation which is consists of 4 sub-themes: activity changes, physical changes, sexual patterns changes  and psychological changes, (2)Post Amputation Adaptation Process which is  consist of 2 sub themes: acceptance response, and adaptation process and (3)Post Amputation Support System which is consist of  2 sub themes: the role of main caregiver, and social environment support. There are significant psychological changes and an uneasy adaptation process in a traumatic post amputation client. Health services should be able to assess psychological conditions and adaptation processes experienced by individuals so that the treatment process runs holistically, including the bio-psycho-social-spiritual aspects.