Self-Disruption: Experiences of Burn Survivors

Introduction: Burn injury is a devastating experience which affects a person&#۳۹;s essence. Nursing researchers who study diseases based on patients&#۳۹; view will be able to better understand the effect of injuries or illnesses on self integrity. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of investigating burn patients&#۳۹; experiences regarding life after suffering a burn injury. Method: This qualitative study was carried out using qualitative content analysis and in-depth, unstructured interviews with ۱۵ burn survivors in Sina Hospital of Tabriz, Iran. Results: During the qualitative content analysis process, the theme of "self-disruption" as the essence of the participants&#۳۹; experience was extracted based on the following subcategories: A) Attack on selfintegrity (pathogenic power of burn, aggressive nature of burn) B) Threat and disturbance (life, living, social, and value threatening) C) Matrix of self (mental, emotional, demographic, and environmental properties). Conclusion: The present study has provided a new understanding of burn survivors&#۳۹; experiences by describing the concept of "self-disruption". Moreover, by pointing to the impact of energy in the matrix of self, it has provided theories about the differences between burn survivors’ process of returning to a normal life.

Keywords:

Burn , Survivors , Self , self-concept , Qualitative study