What does this research mean for the field?

For older adults living with one leg after amputation, the transition extends beyond physical loss to impact autonomy, dignity, and identity, requiring a holistic, person-centered approach to rehabilitation rather than rigid pathways. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To investigate older adults' experiences of prosthetic leg provision, focusing on communication, clinical decision-making, and daily life changes during hospitalization and after discharge.

September 10, 2026Nursing Ethics

Ethical dimensions of living with one leg: A qualitative study

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Authors

LULisbeth Uhrenfeldt ASAne Simony BTBente Skovsby Toft

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Overview

Qualitative study reveals profound losses of autonomy, dignity, and identity after leg amputation in adults over 85, highlighting the need for ethically grounded, person-centered care.

Key Points

To investigate older adults' experiences of prosthetic leg provision, focusing on communication, clinical decision-making, and daily life changes during hospitalization and after discharge.
Conducted a hermeneutic qualitative analysis using unstructured dialogues.
Pragmatically recruited N=3 community-dwelling adults aged 85 years and older who underwent lower extremity amputation from an outpatient surgical clinic in Denmark.
Identified four core themes: accepting the bodily necessity of amputation, enduring a lack of involvement in care decisions, preserving an active physical identity, and adapting to an altered everyday life and future.
Post-amputation suffering extended beyond physical loss to compromise personal autonomy, dignity, and justice due to discretionary decisions surrounding prosthetic access and inflexible care pathways.

Cite This Study

Uhrenfeldt et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa27bbd58559d80afc751d5 https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330261483903

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September 10, 2026Nursing Ethics

Ethical dimensions of living with one leg: A qualitative study

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

LULisbeth Uhrenfeldt ASAne Simony BTBente Skovsby Toft

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Qualitative study reveals profound losses of autonomy, dignity, and identity after leg amputation in adults over 85, highlighting the need for ethically grounded, person-centered care.

Key Points

To investigate older adults' experiences of prosthetic leg provision, focusing on communication, clinical decision-making, and daily life changes during hospitalization and after discharge.
Conducted a hermeneutic qualitative analysis using unstructured dialogues.
Pragmatically recruited N=3 community-dwelling adults aged 85 years and older who underwent lower extremity amputation from an outpatient surgical clinic in Denmark.
Identified four core themes: accepting the bodily necessity of amputation, enduring a lack of involvement in care decisions, preserving an active physical identity, and adapting to an altered everyday life and future.
Post-amputation suffering extended beyond physical loss to compromise personal autonomy, dignity, and justice due to discretionary decisions surrounding prosthetic access and inflexible care pathways.

Cite This Study

Uhrenfeldt et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6aa27bbd58559d80afc751d5 https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330261483903

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark