Exploring senior managers' perceptions of the COVID-19 Crisis in Iran: a qualitative content analysis study.

BACKGROUND: Identification of the experience of senior managers in tackling biological crises can be a roadmap for future crisis management planning. The aim of the present study was to investigate the experiences of senior managers during the COVID-19 crisis. METHODS: This is a descriptive qualitative research. Data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured individual interviews. Accordingly, 20 senior managers of medical universities with experience in managing the COVID-19 crisis were enrolled in the study using purposive sampling. Data were collected from February 2020 to May 2021. For data analysis, qualitative content analytical approach was used. RESULTS: According to the results, 4 main themes and 10 sub-themes were obtained; they included dealing with issues and challenges in the face of COVID-19 disease (Structural challenges, Cultural challenges, Educational challenges, COVID-19 complexity); individual and managerial competencies (Individual competencies, Managerial competencies); comprehensive, accountable, and efficient management (Comprehensive and accountable management, efficient management); and professional and organizational self-efficacy (Professional self-efficacy, organizational self-efficacy) were obtained. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, a number of senior managers' experiences in the COVID-19 crisis management were identified. Managers and policymakers of the health system are suggested to use the results of the present study to effectively manage the crisis and improve crisis management in various health-related areas by providing an effective cultural and organizational context.

Telenursing home care and COVID-19: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many challenges such as increased number of patients and the risk of the disease progress in the world's healthcare systems, especially nursing. The capacity of technology can help nursing in such conditions. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of patients with COVID-19 with home care by using telenursing. METHODS: The present study is a qualitative research conducted using the descriptive phenomenological method. The participants were selected using purposive sampling method and considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After obtaining ethical approval, data were collected through semistructured interviews. Open-ended questions and follow-up were used in the interviews. The interviews were conducted using Skype application and telephone. All data were recorded, and MAXQDA software was used to manage the data. Data analysis was performed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. Lincoln and Guba's criteria were used to evaluate the trustworthiness of the data. RESULTS: The main themes and their subthemes included 'facilitators' (improvement of relationships, adequate education and counselling, adequate care and support, improvement and promotion of health) and 'barriers' (lack of previous knowledge and experience, infrastructure problems, confusion in hospital programmes and the pressure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic). CONCLUSION: Given the potential capacity of telenursing, strong field studies are recommended to be conducted in this area. The results of such studies can contribute to the rapid and serious use of telenursing in the area of care, education, support, follow-up and counselling of patients.

The Lived Experience of Nurses Caring for Patients with COVID-19 in Iran: A Phenomenological Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in Iran. METHODS: This study was a descriptive phenomenology. Sampling was purposefully performed, and participants were selected in terms of the inclusion criteria. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using the WhatsApp mobile messaging application. Colaizzi's method was used to analyse the data. The criteria introduced by Lincoln and Guba were used for the study rigour. RESULTS: The data were obtained from 12 nurses caring for patients with COVID-19. The mean age of the participants was 29.41 years (SD = 2.72) with a mean work experience of 6.75 years (SD = 2.52). Three main themes and six subthemes were identified: mental condition (subthemes included "anxiety and stress" and "fear"), emotional condition (subthemes included "suffering and affliction" and "waiting for death"), and care context (subthemes included "turmoil" and "lack of support and equipment"). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that nurses working in the wards and care centres designated for patients with COVID-19 are experiencing mental and emotional distress and are working in inadequate professional conditions.