This study aims to qualitative examine the patient care experiences and roles of surgical nurses affected by the major earthquake that occurred in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023, in the city of Osmaniye. Using a qualitative descriptive design, face-to-face individual interviews were conducted with 12 surgical nurses. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed. The study complies with the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) guidelines. The main findings of the study encompass the themes of care of traumatized patients, challenges in work life, and work life and organization. Nurses play a crucial role in disaster relief planning, intervention, and recovery processes, and there is a need for further examination of their experiences to shape and improve future practices in disaster management and patient care.
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