Remote community-based public health nursing during a disaster: an ethnographic case study in Japan

Background: The Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011 generated a tsunami that directly struck Japan. Public health nurses (PHNs) played important roles in this disaster response and community recovery. This research identified a PHN's experience in an affected area.

Methods: An ethnographic case study approach was used to obtain in-depth information regarding the experiences of one PHN, using semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and statistical documents.

Results: Six themes were identified and explored, including that the PHN undertook overwhelming responsibilities to protect the local residents, made several autonomous decisions, and had a strong sense of mission. These were based on the relationship-building that occurred with the local residents due to the geographical characteristics and her own preparations.

Conclusions: The findings encourage PHNs to participate in simulations of disasters in preparation for major catastrophes and establish good collaborative efforts with residents by being a part of the community.