Nursing management of patients with lower limb amputations

The work load being carried out by nursing staff in the care of individuals who have undergone limb amputation serves as a key catalyst in post-operative recovery, return to normalcy, and restoration of their quality of life. This review gathers relevant articles from the decade starting in 2014, focusing on the types and causes of amputation while highlighting the multifaceted role that nurses must assume in supporting the amputee not only physically but also psychosocially. Therefore, the primary aim is to examine the preoperative and postoperative contribution of nurses to individuals with amputated limbs. Our research demonstrated that the nurse's role in the rehabilitation of individuals with amputated limbs must be central and spans various areas, such as wound care, complication prevention, proper management of phantom limb pain, and handling of prosthetic limbs. Most importantly, it includes educating the amputee and their family on the aforementioned aspects, as well as placing nursing staff within the framework of holistic, interdisciplinary care. In conclusion, academic gaps were identified in recent literature regarding nursing support and care stereotypes for individuals with amputated limbs, particularly in the Greek academic field, which could be addressed through focused, up-to-date research.