Independence of Centers of Excellence for Medical Sciences: A Qualitative Study

Background: Centers of Excellence are organizations which have prominent works in a specific field, and are capable of delivering quality services using specialized equipment, innovative techniques and modern technologies and brings financial benefits and cost recovery to their organization. Promoting the independence of these organizations plays a critical role in terms of maintaining sustainable competition in their future efforts. The purpose of this study was to develop goals and challenges of independence for centers of excellence. Methods: This was a qualitative study, content analysis, involving semi-structured interviews with 7 individuals from centers of excellence for medical sciences. Sampling was continued until data saturation. Interview transcripts were analyzed through coding and classifying concepts into categories and subcategories, and then MaxQDA 2007 10, software was used for further analysis. Results: According to the participants, a number of prerequisites (such as: goals and strategies) are required to secure independence and authority for Iranian centers of excellence, and also this independence has some distinct dimensions (such as: financial and human resources). Furthermore, the participants identified the possible obstacles and challenges (such as: bureaucratic processes and failure to delegate authority) to the independence of the centers, and proposed solutions to tackle them (such as: internal and external evaluations and accreditation). Conclusion: In the end, the results were used to set up independence regulations for policy makers of centers of excellence to support them during the process of independence.

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The Meaning of the Empathetic Nurse–Patient Communication: A Qualitative Study

Journal of Patient Experience ◽

10.1177/23743735211056432 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 237437352110564

Author(s):

Atye Babaii ◽

Eesa Mohammadi ◽

Afsaneh Sadooghiasl

Keyword(s):

Data Analysis ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Patient Communication ◽

Hospital Nurses ◽

Analysis Method ◽

Medical Sciences ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Content Analysis Method ◽

Data Saturation ◽

Professional Care

Nurse–patient communication is the foremost step in providing professional care. Nurses can use effective communication as a simple and powerful tool to create comfort, happiness, and vitality to reduce the patient's grief and suffering. This study aimed to explain the nurses’ perception of empathetic nurse–patient communication. This qualitative study was conducted with a content analysis method in 2020. Seventeen hospital nurses were recruited with maximum variation from the educational hospitals affiliated to Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran, and semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. Data analysis was performed using Graneheim and Lundman approach. Nurses establish empathetic communication with patients through three main categories of: (1) having humanistic and unique behaviors with the patients; (2) providing a calm and happy environment for the patients; and (3) reducing the patients’ fear and consolation to them. These findings indicate empathetic communication that is appropriate to the conditions and needs of hospitalized patients. The three main categories were accomplished through 14 subcategories. The finding of this study can help to develop a training framework of empathetic nurse–patient communication and design instruments for measuring it.

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Rethinking success, integrity, and culture in research (part 1) — a multi-actor qualitative study on success in science

Research Integrity and Peer Review ◽

10.1186/s41073-020-00104-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Noémie Aubert Bonn ◽

Wim Pinxten

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Focus Groups ◽

Research Integrity ◽

Current Paper ◽

Research Quality ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Community Members ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The Past ◽

Research Students

Abstract Background Success shapes the lives and careers of scientists. But success in science is difficult to define, let alone to translate in indicators that can be used for assessment. In the past few years, several groups expressed their dissatisfaction with the indicators currently used for assessing researchers. But given the lack of agreement on what should constitute success in science, most propositions remain unanswered. This paper aims to complement our understanding of success in science and to document areas of tension and conflict in research assessments. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with policy makers, funders, institution leaders, editors or publishers, research integrity office members, research integrity community members, laboratory technicians, researchers, research students, and former-researchers who changed career to inquire on the topics of success, integrity, and responsibilities in science. We used the Flemish biomedical landscape as a baseline to be able to grasp the views of interacting and complementary actors in a system setting. Results Given the breadth of our results, we divided our findings in a two-paper series, with the current paper focusing on what defines and determines success in science. Respondents depicted success as a multi-factorial, context-dependent, and mutable construct. Success appeared to be an interaction between characteristics from the researcher (Who), research outputs (What), processes (How), and luck. Interviewees noted that current research assessments overvalued outputs but largely ignored the processes deemed essential for research quality and integrity. Interviewees suggested that science needs a diversity of indicators that are transparent, robust, and valid, and that also allow a balanced and diverse view of success; that assessment of scientists should not blindly depend on metrics but also value human input; and that quality should be valued over quantity. Conclusions The objective of research assessments may be to encourage good researchers, to benefit society, or simply to advance science. Yet we show that current assessments fall short on each of these objectives. Open and transparent inter-actor dialogue is needed to understand what research assessments aim for and how they can best achieve their objective. Study Registration osf.io/33v3m.

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Knowledge Translation Improvement Strategies in Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran: A Qualitative Study

Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences ◽

10.4314/ejhs.v31i1.15 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sogand Tourani ◽

Narges Rafiei ◽

Shahnaz Rimaz ◽

Seyed Kazem Malakouti ◽

Alireza Heidari

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Knowledge Translation ◽

Knowledge Production ◽

Data Organization ◽

Health Plans ◽

Medical Sciences ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Framework Analysis ◽

Improvement Strategies

BACKGROUND፡ Recently, one of the challenges in the health system of the country is the need for research contributing to policy-making. Therefore, it is crucial to develop activities in the field of knowledge Translation (KT). This study aimed to propose KT improvement strategies in universities of medical sciences in Iran.METHODS: In this qualitative study, 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from the medical universities in Iran during January-July 2018. The transcribed documents were analyzed using the Gale framework analysis approach. Data organization was carried out using MAXQDA version 10 software.RESULTS: According to framework analysis, six KT improvement strategies were identified including improving the abilities and skills of researchers, improving the processes and quality of knowledge production, revising policies and laws, mproving the prerequisites, culture-building, and promoting the, use of evidence.CONCLUSION: Given the challenges and strategies outlined in this study, it seems that the mechanism of KT and its effects on improving health plans for policymakers and researchers has not been elucidated yet. Therefore, considerable changes in prerequisites, knowledge production processes, academic procedures, policies and laws are necessary for implementing KT in universities of medical sciences in Iran.

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White lie during patient care: A qualitative study of nurses’ perspectives

10.21203/rs.2.24636/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alireza Nikbakht nasrabadi ◽

soodabeh joolaee ◽

Elham Navab ◽

Maryam esmaeilie ◽

mahboobe shali

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Patient Care ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Cultural Knowledge ◽

Hospital Nurses ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Related Factors ◽

Patient’S Rights ◽

Wide Range ◽

Data Saturation

Abstract Background: Keeping the patients well and fully informed about diagnosis, prognosis, and treatments is one of the patient’s rights in any healthcare system. Although all healthcare providers have the same viewpoint about rendering the truth in treatment process, sometimes the truth is not told to the patients; that is why the healthcare staff tell “white lie” instead. This study aimed to explore the nurses’ experience of white lies during patient care. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from June to December 2018. Eighteen hospital nurses were recruited with maximum variation from ten state-run educational hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Purposeful sampling was used and data were collected by semi-structured interviews that were continued until data saturation. Data were classified and analyzed by content analysis approach. Results: The data analysis in this study resulted in four main categories and eleven subcategories. The main categories included hope crisis, bad news, cultural diversity, and nurses’ limited professional competences. Conclusion: Results of the present study showed that, white lie told by nurses during patient care may be due to a wide range of patient, nurse and/or organizational related factors. Communication was the main factor that influenced information rendering. Nurses’ communication with patients should be based on mutual respect, trust and adequate cultural knowledge, and also nurses should provide precise information to patients, so that they can make accurate decisions regarding their health care.

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Psychological Distress in Iranian Military Personnel: A Qualitative Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-95007/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Azizeh Alizadeh1 ◽

Behnaz Dowran ◽

maryam azizi ◽

Seyed -Hossein Salimi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Military Personnel ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Military Organization ◽

Military Members ◽

Data Saturation ◽

The Military

Abstract Background: Military personnel are likely to encounter mental health problems due to High-risk occupations associated with significant levels of psychological distress. The aim of the present study was to explore psychological distress experienced by Iranian military personnel. Methods: The present qualitative study was conducted on 15 Iranian military personnel. Purposeful sampling was used to select the participants and continued until data saturation was reached. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and then the qualitative data were analyzed through direct content analysis. Results: By analyzing show 395 primary codes, 2 main categories, including demands and resources were extracted from the experiences of military members. The categories included several sub-categories, which were classified according to their significant characteristics. Findings of this study ascertain that different factors affect the military member’s psychological distress.Conclusions: Military organization and leaders should consider the factors of psychological distress that raised by specialists, and assign policies to improve their mental health. According to the present results, it is recommended that the process of psychological distress in military members be investigated further.

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Hospital Accreditation: What Difficulties Does It Face in Iran?

Global Journal of Health Science ◽

10.5539/gjhs.v9n1p254 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 254 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ali Janati ◽

Reza Ebrahimoghli ◽

Ali Ebadi ◽

Firooz Toofan

Keyword(s):

Health Care Policy ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Medical Sciences ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Hospital Accreditation ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Data Saturation ◽

Accreditation Programme ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

Goals And Objectives

INTRODUCTION: To determine if an established programme is achieving desired goals and objectives, in other words being effective, health-care policy makers need to recognise and cope with its challenges. This paper made an effort to pinpoint the main difficulties which appear on the way to successful implementation of the Iranian hospital accreditation programme, from perspective of hospitals medical and clinical staff, and accreditation authorities.MATERIAL & METHODS: applying a qualitative approach, we used semi-structured discussion guide in Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), as well as semi-structured In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) with purposively selected hospitals staff and accreditation programme authorities. Data collection was conducted in Iranian universities of medical sciences from June to September 2014. In order to analyse collected opinions, thematic content analysis was applied independently by two authors.FINDINGS: In addition to four independent FGDs with 27 participants, conducting seven individual IDIs were enough to reach data saturation. A total of 25 subthemes were emerged under five main themes. Participants were of the opinion that the accreditation problems include fundamental deficiencies in the Iranian healthcare system, poor design of the programme, deficiencies within hospitals, difficulties in surveyors and survey processes and negative impacts of the accreditation on hospitals.DISCUSSION: difficulties with the accreditation programme arise from a wide variety of sources. Decision-makers’ achievements in the desired goals lie on recognizing and resolving them.

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Causes of medical errors and its under-reporting amongst pediatric nurses in Iran: a qualitative study

International Journal for Quality in Health Care ◽

10.1093/intqhc/mzy202 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (7) ◽

pp. 541-546

Author(s):

Razieh Sadat Mousavi-roknabadi ◽

Marzieh Momennasab ◽

Mehrdad Askarian ◽

Abbas Haghshenas ◽

Brahmaputra Marjadi

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Study ◽

Teaching Hospital ◽

Medical Errors ◽

Reporting System ◽

Pediatric Nurses ◽

Personal Factors ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Pediatric Department ◽

Data Saturation ◽

Context Specific

Abstract Objectives To explore the causes of medical errors (ME) and under-reporting amongst pediatric nurses at an Iranian teaching hospital. Design A qualitative study, based on individual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews and content analysis approach. Settings The study was conducted at the Pediatric Department of the largest tertiary general and teaching hospital in Shiraz, southern Iran. Participants The study population was all pediatrics nurses who work at Pediatric Department and they had been trained on ME, as well as methods to report them through the hospital’s ME reporting system. Purposive sampling was used by selecting key informants until data saturation was achieved and no more new information was obtained. Finally, 18 pediatric nurses were interviewed. Main outcome measure(s) Pediatrics nurses’ views on the causes of ME and under-reporting. Results We found five main factors causing ME and under-reporting: personal factors, workplace factors, managerial factors, work culture and error reporting system. These factors were further classified into proximal and distal factors. Proximal factors had direct relationship with ME and distal factors were contextual factors. Conclusion Causes of ME and under-reporting amongst pediatric nurses are complex and intertwined. Both proximal and distal factors need to be simultaneously addressed using context-specific approaches. Further research on other groups of healthcare workers and using a quantitative approach will be beneficial to elucidate the most appropriate interventions.

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The role of working environment in nurses’ career advancement from nursing mangers’ perspectives: A qualitative study

Journal of Hospital Administration ◽

10.5430/jha.v5n4p49 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. 49 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohammad Reza Sheikhi ◽

Masoud Fallahi Khoshknab ◽

Farahnaz Mohammadi ◽

Fatemeh Oskouie

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Career Advancement ◽

Working Environment ◽

Medical Sciences ◽

Nursing Managers ◽

Content Analysis Method ◽

Data Saturation ◽

Purposive Sample

Background: Nurses’ career advancement is a dynamic and unique concept which is explained in the context of working environment.Objective: This study aimed to explore the role of working environment in nurses’ career advancement from Nursing Mangers’ Perspectives.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using content analysis method. Eighteen nursing managers from hospitals affiliated to Qazvin, Tehran, Iran and Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciences Universities participated in the study. A purposive sample of nursing mangers with rich experiences and maximum variations were selected and continued to reaching data saturation. The data were analyzed using content analysis method.Results: Participants believed that working environment have two major roles in nurses’ career advancement including motivating and restricting roles. According to nursing mangers, motivating working environment had facilitating role, while restricting working environment had blocking role in Iranian nurses’ career advancement.Conclusions: It seems that recognizing characteristics of working environment could assist nurses and nursing managers to develop conditions of working environment facilitating career advancement for nurses and decrease restrictive factors.

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Exploring the Features of Mobile Application of Anatomy in Basic Medical Sciences: a qualitative study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-20085/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mahmoud Mansouri ◽

Shoaleh Bigdeli ◽

Afsaneh Dehnad ◽

Zohreh Sohrabi ◽

Somayeh Alizadeh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Application ◽

Health Professions ◽

Health Professions Education ◽

Medical Sciences ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

User Friendliness ◽

Basic Medical

Abstract Background The importance of mobile phones has become one of the new research topics in health professions education due to the ease of access and flexibility. Although novel approaches to health professions education recommend the use of educational technologies such as mobile applications, a limited number of studies have been conducted with regard to teaching anatomy through mobile applications. Considering the increasing needs of medical students for mobile technology to meet their educational needs, wants and desires, we decided to explore the features of an anatomy mobile application. Methods This qualitative study was conducted in two stages of holding focus groups and an expert panel session. Students of basic Medical sciences, and faculty members of anatomy at Iran University of Medical Sciences formed the research participants. Semi-structured interviews and note-taking were used to collect the data. Brown and Clark methods were used for thematic analysis and feature extraction. Finally, four criteria presented by Lincoln and Guba for qualitative studies were used to ensure the credibility, confirmability, trustworthiness and transferability of the data. Results Based on the data analysis, 37 codes that could be used to design anatomy mobile content for medical students were extracted. These features were categorized into the main themes of “visual richness”, “scientific comprehensiveness”, “audio richness”, “affordability”, “user-friendliness”, “self-assessment”, “interactive content” and “user support”. Conclusion This study explored the features of an anatomy application that can be used by educational app developers. Anatomy departments of universities of medical sciences, policymakers, and planners in the field of medical education can also adopt the findings of the present study.

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22 Motivations, Barriers, And Social Media: A Qualitative Study of Uptake of Women into Neurosurgery

British Journal of Surgery ◽

10.1093/bjs/znab259.649 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 108 (Supplement_6) ◽

Author(s):

S Bandyopadhyay ◽

J Moudgil-Joshi ◽

E Norton ◽

M Haq ◽

K Saunders

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Role Models ◽

Quantitative Methods ◽

Real Life ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Topic Area ◽

Data Saturation ◽

Axial Coding ◽

The Uk

Abstract Objective To explore how social media could be utilised to influence an individual’s motivation to pursue a neurosurgical career, an emerging topic area. The focus of this study was on women interested in neurosurgery. Background Women are significantly under-represented in neurosurgery. 18% of all neurosurgeons – including 8% of consultants – are women. Most previous studies have used quantitative methods that are not best suited to gaining an in-depth understanding of the barriers that women face in pursuing a career in neurosurgery, or what would enable more women to go into the speciality. Method In this qualitative study, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved. Participants were women pre-neurosurgical trainees. The interview data was examined through a thematic analysis involving open and axial coding. Results Thirty women participated in the study. Four overarching themes were identified: (1) mentorship, (2) testimony from other women doing neurosurgery, (3) social media as a means of increasing interest in neurosurgery as a career choice, and (4) real-life exposure to the speciality. Conclusions There is scope to further improve uptake of women into neurosurgical training in the UK. Motivations and barriers to women pursuing neurosurgery should be addressed openly through early experience, role models and mentorship. Social media can help facilitate these opportunities, disseminate information and inspiration, and has the potential to undo societal biases.

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