HEALTHCARE WORKERS’ LIVED EXPERIENCES IN RESPONDING TO FLOOD-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES: A DESCRIPTIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY

Abstract

Flooding is among the most frequent hydrometeorological disasters in Indonesia. Healthcare workers serve on the front lines of emergency response, yet limited attention has been given to how they live through and make sense of this work. This study aimed to describe the lived experiences of Public Safety Center healthcare workers responding to flood-affected communities in Bantaeng Regency, Indonesia. A qualitative design grounded in descriptive phenomenology was used. Ten Public Safety Center healthcare workers with flood-response experience and at least three years of work experience were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis grounded in descriptive phenomenology. Four themes captured the shared structure of participants’ experiences: (1) entering an unpredictable disaster environment, with preparedness shaped by experience; (2) striving to provide care amid restricted access and limited resources; (3) sustaining professional commitment through spirituality and team solidarity; and (4) transforming difficult field experiences into expectations for a more responsive system. Participants experienced flood response as an ongoing effort to fulfill professional and humanitarian responsibilities despite rapidly changing conditions and operational constraints. Clinical preparation, experience, interagency coordination, spirituality, and solidarity enabled them to sustain care. These experiences also shaped expectations for stronger logistics, coordination, workforce capacity, and community preparedness. Disaster-response systems should support not only technical preparedness but also psychological well-being, team relationships, and safe, responsive care in resource-constrained settings.