Background: Caring for children infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is highly challenging due to the diverse symptoms and complications. Mothers, in particular, face a unique crisis during their child’s illness. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of mothers caring for children with COVID-19. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a conventional content analysis approach. A total of 13 participants were selected purposively, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews with mothers of children diagnosed with COVID-19. Each interview lasted between 35 and 50 minutes. Data were analyzed using MAXQDA 10 software. Results: The analysis yielded an overarching theme of a "headland of care" comprising two main categories: (1) Children as hidden victims of COVID-19, with subcategories including psychological hazards, lack of family psychological support, death anxiety, and uncertainty regarding long-term consequences of COVID-19; and (2) Livelihood crisis, with subcategories including caregiver job concerns and hospitalization and treatment costs. Conclusion: The findings provide valuable insights for nurses and healthcare providers in recognizing the challenges mothers encounter when caring for a child with COVID-19. By delivering targeted education and support, healthcare teams can empower mothers, enhance their caregiving capacity, and mitigate the psychological and financial burdens associated with pediatric COVID-19 care.
Background: Making ethical decisions is significant in health systems committed to ethics. Meanwhile, determining how nursing managers incorporate ethical values in their decision-making processes is crucial in developing ethical decisions and achieving the ethical goals of healthcare organizations. This study aims to explore the ethical decision-making process in nursing managers. Methods: This qualitative study was carried out in Tehran hospitals in 2020. Data was analyzed using the Grounded Theory method according to Strauss and Corbin’s 2015 approach. Twenty-three in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 nursing managers and 3 nurses. Purposeful and theoretical sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Results: Conscientiousness was a core variable in managers’ ethical decision-making processes. Nursing managers working in unreliable organizational environments rely on 4 strategies (client orientation, cross-evaluation, contingency decision-making, and prioritizing individual rights over organizational regulations) to gain the comfort of conscience and overcome the anxiety they experience when consciousness is not met at work. Conclusion: Senior managers should take unmanageable organizational environments seriously as a cause of concern for nursing managers. Creating healthy interpersonal relationships and setting up a creative atmosphere effectively improve the organizational environment. Managers’ sensitivity to teaching ethical and managerial principles and developing a positive attitude towards applying ethics can facilitate managers’ ethical decision-making processes. Also, employing empowered managers in decision-making and giving them sufficient autonomy in describing their responsibilities can effectively reduce their decision-making barriers.
Background: The impact of the COVID-19 crisis is highly heterogeneous, with significant implications for crisis management. This study aimed to assess how policies to respond to COVID-19 were formulated, implemented, and evaluated. Methods: This qualitative, in-depth study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 31 experts from January to April 2021. The study focused on all relevant stakeholders responsible for the COVID-19 response in Khuzestan Province, Iran. Purposive sampling was employed to select participants, and data collection continued until data saturation was reached. Several related theories, frameworks, and concepts guided the data analysis process. Contextual factors, including structural, economic, situational, cultural, and climatic aspects, were emphasized. Actors were assessed based on their interests and power to influence the COVID-19 response. Kingdon’s multiple streams framework and the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) were utilized to analyze the policy process and implementation, respectively. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: The findings provide significant insights into critical measures regarding contextual factors, policy content, and the roles of key actors and processes. Contextual factors played a dual role, acting as both facilitators and inhibitors of policy making against COVID-19. The main measures guiding the policy content in Khuzestan Province included increasing hospital bed capacity, establishing army hospitals, collaborating with private hospitals to utilize 10% of their capacity, repurposing hotel spaces for patients in recovery, leveraging charitable donation volunteers and medical students, deploying health workers on short-term contracts to work in 16-hour COVID-19 centers, conducting specialized training courses for nurses in intensive care units (ICUs), and launching COVID-19 diagnostic laboratories. The results showed that situational factors, governance structures, decision-making processes, and the influence and power of coalitions significantly affected the effectiveness of policy measures. Conclusion: Investment in infrastructure and fostering integration among different health service providers are fundamental to managing pandemics effectively. Moreover, it is essential to identify understudied aspects of the policy sciences that warrant further attention in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Background: Precocious puberty is associated with worries and challenges for affected children and their mothers as primary caregivers. The present study aimed to explore mothers› experiences of their children›s precocious puberty. Methods: The data in this qualitative-descriptive phenomenological study were collected through semi-structured interviews. The mothers with female and male children who experienced puberty before age 8 or 9 were selected through purposive sampling in Tehran in 2023. Data saturation was achieved after interviewing 25 mothers. The collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Results: The mothers’ experiences of their child’s precocious puberty were categorized into four main themes including "extreme surprise and confusion", "precocious puberty, a developmental period or a disease?", "mothers’ self-imposed isolation", and "informing, preparing, and training parents as the key to overcoming precocious puberty". Conclusion: Seeking assistance from doctors, nurses, midwives, and health counselors, reading related books, and using new information to understand puberty can enhance the patience and tolerance of mothers to help their children overcome the challenges associated with precocious puberty.
Background: The rate of exclusive breastfeeding remains low due to multiple barriers. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of mothers, fathers, religious leaders, and health workers regarding obstacles to exclusive breastfeeding, with particular attention to the role of husbands and religious principles in breastfeeding practices. Methods: This qualitative content analysis was conducted from June to August 2024 using MAXQDA software version 24 following the analytical framework proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. A total of 14 participants were included: three coordinating midwives, one religious leader, five mothers who did not exclusively breastfeed, and five husbands of mothers who did not exclusively breastfeed. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews based on an interview guide. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling. Results: The study examined the perspectives of mothers, fathers, religious leaders, and health workers in aregion with one of the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rates. Five major themes emerged: (1) lack of knowledge about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and religious recommendations; (2) inadequate social support from husbands; (3) inappropriate attitudes toward breastfeeding; (4) the need for suitable educational content; and (5) the significance of religious modalities related to breastfeeding. Conclusion: Integrating Qur’anic teachings on breastfeeding and involving husbands in health education are key strategies for enchancing exclusive breastfeeding practices. Providing fathers with relevant knowledge and promoting their active participation can foster a supportive environment and improve breastfeeding outcomes. Hence, healthcare systems should acknowledge and strengthen the role of fathers in breastfeeding support so that both parents can jointly address breastfeeding challenges in accordance with religious values.
Background: Gender identity represents a significant facet of the challenges and uncertainties experienced by adolescents. The present study aimed to explore the experiences of adolescents dissatisfied with their gender in schools, specifically delving into how their interactions with peers and school staff influence their self-perception and the challenges they encounter. Methods: This research examined the experiences of 30 adolescents (18 females and 12 males) navigating gender dissatisfaction in school. Using a qualitative approach, participants were selected through purposive sampling, and data were collected via semi-structured interviews. The gathered data were analyzed following Strauss and Glaser’s interpretative approach. Results: The findings of this study revealed a journey of self-awareness characterized by pain, confusion, and a search for identity. The results highlighted negative self-perception, feelings of loneliness, experiences of discrimination, and resentment towards educators. Additionally, peer harassment, acceptance, and attraction emerged as significant themes. Participants also expressed clear expectations for supportive school staff. Conclusion: This study highlighted the unique aspects of the participants’ experiences, offering valuable insights for school counselors and teachers. By fostering a deeper understanding of the needs and vulnerabilities of this demographic, educators and counselors can work more effectively to support them.
Background: The Complexity of care for heart failure patients has increased the need for professionals to collaborate in the form of teams. Finding the right strategies to eliminate these problems will increase the effectiveness of care. This study was done to explore team members’ experiences and provide strategies for building effective teams for the care of heart failure patients. Methods: In this content analysis study, data were collected through unstructured in‐depth interviews with 58 team members involved in the care of heart failure patients. The selection of participants began with purposive sampling and was extended using theoretical sampling. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using an inductive conventional method. Results: Fourteen subcategories and six categories were formed: equal professional rights in the team, embodying knowledge and experience, team integrity, self-awareness of teamwork, teamwork continuity, and skillfulness of the team. The final theme was "Striving for team evolution and consensus." Conclusion: The results showed that the teamwork strategies are being used in Iranian health care centers, but different strategies should be used to provide more effective care for heart failure (HF) patients. These strategies are found at individual, organizational, and sociocultural levels. Training and application of these strategies by health care providers will facilitate the achievement of teamwork goals in the care of HF patients.
Background: Migration among operating theatre nurses can adversely affect both the healthcare system and the quality of services provided. Therefore, researching this area is essential to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying causes. Methods: This study employed a qualitative design with a content analysis approach. Data were collected from March 2024 to July 2024. Operating theatre nurses were selected for inclusion through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants, continuing until data saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis, and the validity and reliability of the findings were assessed using the Lincoln and Guba criteria. Results: One key theme was identified: systemic dilemmas. This was further divided into three categories: economic issues, burnout, and unethical behaviors. Conclusion: Operating room nurse migration is a complex issue for healthcare organizations, driven by economic issues, burnout, and unethical behaviors. To address this, organizations should implement strategies focused on fair financial practices, workload support, and ethical standards. This holistic approach can enhance nurse retention, improve patient care, and strengthen the healthcare system. Supporting nurses fosters a positive work environment and reduces turnover.
Background: Parents play a crucial role in caring for infants who are suspected or infected with COVID-19. Emotional and psychological support, along with effective communication between medical staff and parents, can greatly influence the infant’s recovery. Despite its significance, few qualitative phenomenological studies in Iran have examined this experience. This study aimed to explore parents’ lived experiences during the caregiving process. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed. In 2022, eight parents were selected through purposive sampling from Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran—the regional COVID-19 referral center. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which continued until data saturation was reached. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method with the assistance of MAXQDA software (version 18). Results: Four key themes emerged from the data: 1-) Suspended Between Fear and Hope — an emotional state characterized by oscillation between dread and fragile optimism; 2-) Disrupted Parental Identity and Embodied Anxiety — marked by the loss of the caregiving role and physical signs of psychological distress; 3-) Existential Loneliness and Search for Meaning — involving deep spiritual and emotional isolation alongside reflective meaning-making; and 4-) Deep Responsibility as Transformative Meaning — representing an internalized caregiving commitment that promotes resilience and personal growth. Additionally, economic vulnerability and relational dynamics with healthcare providers were closely linked to these core experiences. Conclusion: The findings highlight the complex and deeply felt aspects of parenting an infant during the COVID-19 crisis. They emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive healthcare support that addresses not only medical needs but also the emotional, existential, and socioeconomic challenges faced by parents in such times.
Background: Women-headed households represent a vulnerable group in any society. These women face many psychological and economic problems and role conflict, so they require empowerment programs. Accordingly, this study was conducted to empower women-headed households during the coronavirus pandemic. Methods: The present study is an action research conducted in five stages (assessment, planning, acting, reflection, and evaluation) in Kerman in southeastern Iran from 2019 to 2020. The participants were 33 individuals, including 12 women-headed households, 15 faculty members, and 6 nurses. The data were collected through interviews and focus groups and analyzed using a conventional content analysis approach. Results: Based on the data analysis in stage I, the category of the need to make a living and subcategories of financial turbulence, job loss, and income reduction, and concern about meeting the basic needs of children were extracted. In stage V, four main categories were extracted from the analysis of the qualitative data: psychological empowerment (self-confidence, feeling of existence, and motivation for progress), economic empowerment (improving financial situation, making a living, and financial independence), social empowerment (active presence in crisis, helping medical staff, a sense of social usefulness, overcoming isolation, feeling decision-making power, gaining social trust), and spiritual empowerment (inner satisfaction and inner peace). Conclusion: Empowering women-headed households can affect all individual, social, and family aspects and can even pave the way for their spiritual advancement. Therefore, empowerment programs with long-term goals should be planned and implemented for this group.
Background: Patients who experience awareness during anesthesia, in addition to the pain they experience during surgery, develop postoperative physical and psychological disorders that can affect the course of their lives. This study aimed to explain the experiences of patients undergoing surgery in the field of awareness under anesthesia. Methods: The present qualitative research was conducted using conventional content analysis in 2022 in Iran. The present qualitative research was conducted using contract content analysis in 2022 in Iran. Twelve participants were purposefully selected from patients undergoing surgery at Valiasr Hospital in Borujen who had experienced awareness under anesthesia. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured individual interviews and were analyzed using the Graneheim and Lundman approach. To manage the data, MAXQDA software version 10 was used. Results: The important experiences of the participants were divided into 1 main category, invisible surgical wound, and 4 subcategories (living with psychological damage, residual fear, physical trauma, and spiritual distress). Conclusion: Study participants experience physical and psychological trauma during awareness during anesthesia. To prevent many psychological and physical symptoms following the recollection of this phenomenon in individuals, we should first identify these individuals by conducting interviews and asking appropriate questions about the accuracy of this phenomenon in individuals. In the next stage, by examining the physical and psychological symptoms in different periods after the occurrence of the phenomenon and by timely identifying the different symptoms in these people and taking counseling and treatment measures, the severity of the symptoms and their negative effects on people’s daily lives can be prevented.
Background: Following the phenomenon of induced demand, a significant allocation of resources is directed toward the pharmaceutical sector. An increase in induced demand for medicine can adversely affect the performance of the health system and impose substantial financial burdens on individuals and society. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to identify effective strategies for managing medicine-induced demand in Iran.Methods: This study employed a qualitative design with a grounded theory approach, conducted in multiple stages. Initially, a systematic review of the literature was performed, followed by the development of semi-structured interview questions based on the review findings and insights from the experiences of various experts. Data from the interviews were analyzed using MAXQDA software (version 18) to extract themes, categories, and subcategories.Results: A total of 30 relevant articles were identified through the literature review, aligning with the study objectives. Strategies for managing the induced demand for medicine in Iran, derived from interview data, were categorized into three themes, seven categories, and 20 subcategories. The main themes included planning, organizational-structural strategies, and economic factors. These themes encompassed seven categories, including societal culture, medication literacy, service delivery methods, regulatory mechanisms, political mechanisms, payment systems, and insurance. Notably, key factors influencing induced demand included physician performance monitoring, insurance restrictions, advertising and marketing limitations, and changing societal attitudes.Conclusion: This study proposed strategies for managing induced demand for medicine in Iran. These strategies can improve efficient resource management, control healthcare costs, and ultimately enhance the quality of healthcare services provided to patients.Induced demand, Medicine, Management, Qualitative research
Background: Recent research has suggested that religious and spiritual interventions may aid in the healing process from trauma. However, the nuances of these interventions, including their potential negative impacts, require further exploration. The main purpose of this study was to synthesize the findings of existing literature regarding the roles of religion and spirituality in psychological traumas. Methods: This qualitative review employed a narrative synthesis approach guided by the PRISMA framework. A comprehensive search of electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Scopus) was conducted, utilizing a combination of keywords related to trauma, religion, spirituality, and resilience factors. Articles published in English from January 2014 to September 2024 were examined, with the final selection process yielding a total of six relevant articles. Results: The analysis identified four main themes. The positive effects highlighted included meaning-making, social support, coping mechanisms, post-traumatic growth, reduced PTSD symptoms, and adapting therapeutic interventions. Conversely, negative effects encompassed feelings of guilt and shame, delayed help-seeking, and cognitive dissonance. Additionally, the findings emphasized the necessity of indicating variability based on demographics and cross-cultural comparisons between Western, Eastern, and Indigenous healing practices. Conclusion: The review underscores the dual nature of religious and spiritual interventions in trauma recovery, presenting both beneficial and detrimental outcomes. Mental health professionals must remain sensitive to the interplay of religious beliefs and individual experiences when designing therapeutic interventions. Future research should further explore the complexities of faith within diverse populations to enhance the efficacy of trauma recovery practices.
Background: Despite the rapid development of innovative teaching methods in practical nursing education, acquiring clinical skills remains a significant educational challenge. It is essential to identify and solve the challenges of nursing students in learning and promoting fundamental clinical skills. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore and address the challenges of learning fundamental clinical skills among nursing students. Methods: This action research, conducted in 2023, employed two iterative cycles using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The participants included 32 nursing students, the director of the Clinical Skills Unit, and academic researchers serving as facilitators. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, observations, and field notes. For the quantitative phase, a checklist was used to assess the students’ satisfaction. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics for the quantitative data and conventional content analysis for qualitative data. Results: The qualitative findings identified three main categories, including lack of feedback, superficial learning, and ineffective communication. Following the intervention, students reported improvements in interpersonal communication, receiving more effective feedback, and engaging in active learning. Quantitative results demonstrated statistically significant increases in the mean scores of factors influencing effective learning after the activities of the action research project. Conclusion: Active participation in learning fundamental skills can reduce some of the associated challenges faced by nursing students. Through reflective processes, students were able to recognize the challenges affecting their learning and subsequently improve their learning outcomes.
Background: Family caregivers often provide non-professional care to family members with chronic diseases, requiring assistance with daily living activities. Caregivers typically experience significant stress, including physical, psychological, and emotional burdens, as well as social isolation associated with long-term care provision. As caregivers often do not have a role in care-related decisions, their stress levels can increase substantially. Empowerment of caregivers is essential to enable informed decision-making in care-related issues, thereby enhancing patient care outcomes and ameliorating caregiver stress. Accordingly, this study aimed to define and describe the features of the empowerment process for family caregivers providing care to patients with chronic diseases. Methods: This study was conducted using Walker and Avant’s concept analysis method. A total of 33 articles published from 2008 to 2024 focusing on family caregiver empowerment in chronic disease contexts were selected from CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Results: Key attributes identified in the family caregiver empowerment process included support for care recipients, constructive relationships with others, knowledge, skills, and an improved sense of positive feelings. Understanding caregiver needs is crucial for public policymakers, healthcare providers, and families in improving care quality and promoting the health of the family, selfreliance, adherence, and patient care outcomes. Conclusion: Clarifying the components of this concept will assist healthcare service providers to design and implement appropriate intervention programs, including support systems that enhance family caregivers’ empowerment in their caregiving roles.
Background: Using the experiences of older adults as social capital can help middle-aged and younger individuals achieve healthy aging. The present study aimed to provide younger generations with recommendations derived from the experiences of older adults on promoting healthy aging. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis via semi-structured interviews in Tehran, Iran. A total of 26 older adults aged 62 to 78 years were selected through purposive sampling with maximum variation until data saturation was reached. Data were analyzed using the method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman via MAXQDA software (version 10.0). Results: Analysis of the participants’ experiences and recommendations led to the emergence of four main themes, including ensuring financial security, adopting a healthy lifestyle, expanding communications and emotional relationships, and lifelong learning. Conclusion: The findings from the present study underscore the importance of planning and foresight before entering old age. Participants placed the greatest emphasis on financial security as crucial for healthy aging and identified socioeconomic poverty as a significant barrier. This highlights the need for appropriate measures from managers and policymakers, as neglecting these issues could create challenges for healthy aging and impose additional costs on Iran’s healthcare system.
AbstractResearch in pediatric dentistry (PD) has often prioritized quantitative analysis, ignoring qualitative factors that limit our understanding of children’s emotions and experiences regarding dental treatment. Qualitative research offers insights into the experiences of children and families, highlighting shared concerns and assisting dental professionals in crafting better communication strategies to enhance engagement with children.
Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a significant neurological disease primarily affecting young adults. The prevalence of this disease in women is about two to three times higher than in men. This study aimed to explore the challenges faced by women with MS using qualitative content analysis (QCA). Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a content analysis approach. A total of 23 patients with MS who visited the Iran MS Society were selected to participate in the study using a purposive sampling method until data saturation was reached. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using QCA. Results: The social barriers identified as the main issues faced by patients with MS comprised nine subcategories including insufficient financial support, lack of job opportunities, employers’ inadequate information about the specific conditions of MS patients, loss of educational opportunities, decreased social cohesion and responsibility, lack of environmental adaptation appropriate for MS patients, social stigma, lack of public awareness about MS, and deficiencies in the public transport system. Conclusion: It is essential to enhance social support for patients with MS by raising public awareness, improving public transportation systems, and developing empathy among family members and the community.
Background: Medical errors are particularly significant in the operating room due to their potential to critically affect patient care. For students, one of the key challenges is learning how to identify and report these errors during treatment and understanding their potential consequences. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the challenges faced by the operating room interns in reporting medical errors. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using a content analysis approach from March to June 2024 in the operating theaters of teaching hospitals affiliated with Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in Hamadan, Iran. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with ten operating room interns, selected via purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis, following the methodology outlined by Graneheim and Lundman. Results: Two main themes emerged from the analysis, including personal challenges and organizational barriers. These themes were further divided into five categories, including perceptions of errors, emotional hurdles, structural limitations, educational challenges, and workplace culture. Conclusion: Addressing both personal and organizational challenges in error reporting is essential for improving patient safety outcomes. Fostering a culture of open communication and enhancing educational frameworks can empower operating room interns to actively participate in error reporting, thereby improving the overall quality of patient care.
Background: Despite the limited research on quantum theory in nursing, the significance of this theory and the evolving nature of the nursing environment necessitates further exploration in this area. The present study aimed to describe and discuss the application of quantum theory in nursing and propose a model for its integration into nursing leadership. Methods: A descriptive data synthesis was undertaken, reviewing articles related to leadership and quantum theory. Then, a model for quantum leadership in nursing was proposed. The literature search included ScienceDirect, Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases, focusing on publications in English up to 2022. Results: A total of 8 relevant articles were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. Through content analysis, the findings were categorized into three themes including quantum leaders, quantum organization, and quantum fluidity movement. Conclusion: By implementing the essential characteristics of the proposed model, nurse leaders can foster discipline and stability within the nursing system, addressing the challenges posed by contemporary healthcare environments characterized by instability and insecurity.
