A qualitative approach to the ethical challenges of Iranian nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

2 Ph.D. Student in Business Administration, School of Accounting and Management, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

3 Master Graduate in Business Administration, School of Accounting and Management, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran

Abstract

Background: Nurses have vital roles during the COVID-19 pandemic but may face ethical dilemmas due to exposure to new illnesses and a lack of experience.
Aims: This study aimed to qualitatively investigate the ethical challenges faced by Iranian nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: This qualitative study involved conducting semi-structured individual interviews with 15 nurses working in COVID-19 wards at a hospital in Yazd, Iran, from February 2020 to April 2021. The data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis techniques.
Results: During the analysis, the researchers generated five themes: ethical principles, ethical decision-making, educational challenges, communication challenges, and workplace challenges.
Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate that frontline nurses in COVID-19 wards experienced their work as challenging and uncertain at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. It seems that training programs in advance could help reduce this uncertainty.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 08 April 2022
  • Revise Date: 18 April 2022
  • Accept Date: 30 April 2022

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