Exploring the necessity of establishing a doctor of nursing practice program from experts' views: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Complex healthcare systems increasingly demand influential nurse leaders adept at managing changes in unstable environments. The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) prepares the nurses for the most advanced level of clinical practice. The aim of this study was to explore the necessity of establishing a DNP program in Iran from experts' views. METHODS: The study used a qualitative descriptive approach. The participants consisted of 13 faculty members and Ph.D. candidates selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through focus group and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The content analysis led to the extraction of two main categories: "providing infrastructures" and "DNP as an opportunity to make positive outcomes." CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that it is not necessary to establish a DNP program for Iran's nursing education system. Supplying infrastructures is a crucial component to establishing a new program in Iran. Although DNP, as an opportunity to drive positive changes, is recommended, in the current situation, using alternative solutions may yield better outcomes than establishing a DNP program.

Validation of the Iranian Version of the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine validation of the Iranian version of the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey (HECS). METHODS: This is a methodological study with a cross-sectional design that was conducted in 2016. A forward-backward translation method was used to translate the questionnaire from English to Persian and face, content, and construct validity as well as reliability were assessed. RESULTS: The factor structure of the HECS through explorative Principal Component Analysis (PCA) confirmed five factors that explained 64.7% of total variance. The overall Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .86 and the Cronbach's alphas for five of the subscales were between .63 and .92. CONCLUSIONS: The Iranian version of HECS has adequate validity and reliability for measuring the hospital ethical climate in the Iraniansociety.

Nurses' lived experiences of professional autonomy in Iran.

OBJECTIVES: Nurses' autonomy is a complex and multi-dimensional concept that has often been overlooked. Although many studies have addressed patients' autonomy, there has been no assessment of nurses' experience of professional autonomy. The present study aimed to assess nurses' lived experiences of professional autonomy in Shiraz, Iran. METHODS: The present qualitative study was conducted in Shiraz (Iran) from January 2016 to February 2018. The target population was selected among nursing professionals employed by various hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. The experiences of the participants were assessed through 14 in-depth semi-structured interviews. The response of the participants was analyzed using Van Manen's 6-step approach for interpretive phenomenology. RESULTS: Based on the analysis of the interviews, 4 themes, 11 categories, and 13 sub-categories were extracted. The themes were: Advocacy for patients and nurses, independence in the workplace, Involvement in professional decision-making, and Professional accountability. CONCLUSION: Due to the intense interaction between nurses and patients, a better quality of care will be achieved if the professional autonomy of nurses is ensured. Healthcare authorities and hospital managers should provide the framework and permit the nurses to practically exercise full independence in the workplace.