Living with Disability after Spinal Cord Injury: A Grounded Theory Methodology

Study Design: A Grounded Theory Methodology is employed to investigate the study phenomenon. the entire study started from Jan. 15th. 2021 to March, 1st. 2022. Aim: The study is conducted to explore the concepts that shape the experience of living with disability among patients with spinal cord injury, and to formulating a grounded theory regarding nursing care for patients with spinal cord injuries. Setting: The study is conducted in Ibn Alkuf Hospital for Spinal Cord Injuries, Baghdad, Iraq. Methods: A non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to select (12) patients with chronic (more than 5 years) spinal cord injury. The purposive sampling is used to reach data. Additionally, the sample size is justified after the full saturation of data is achieved. All patients are continuing with a rehabilitation program in the hospital. The researcher uses an open-ended question to explore how the patients are lived with their disability. Results: The study results show that the patients had to live with their disability with some limitations to recover. There are four major categories explaining the way by which the patients lived with their disability, these categories are as follows: A devastating life-altering situation, standing up to difficulties, passing forward in the Society, and social withdrawing. Conclusions: The study concludes that the devastating life-altering situation, standing up to difficulties, and passing forward in the society, and social withdrawing and its related sub-categories are major concepts describing patients’ living with their disability after spinal cord injury.