Background: Ethics and dignity in prehospital emergency care are important due to vulnerability and suffering. Patients can lose control of their body and encounter unfamiliar faces in an emergency situation. Objective: To describe what specialist ambulance nurse students experienced as preserved and humiliated dignity in prehospital emergency care. Research design: The study had a qualitative approach. Method: Data were collected by Flanagan’s critical incident technique. The participants were 26 specialist ambulance nurse students who described two critical incidents of preserved and (...) humiliated dignity, from prehospital emergency care. Data consist of 52 critical incidents and were analyzed with interpretive content analysis. Ethical considerations: The study followed the ethical principles in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Findings: The result showed how human dignity in prehospital emergency care can be preserved by the ambulance nurse being there for the patient. The ambulance nurses meet the patient in the patient’s world and make professional decisions. The ambulance nurse respects the patient’s will and protects the patient’s body from the gaze of others. Humiliated dignity was described through the ambulance nurse abandoning the patient and by healthcare professionals failing, disrespecting, and ignoring the patient. Discussion: It is a unique situation when a nurse meets a patient face to face in a critical life or death moment. The discussion describes courage and the ethical vision to see another human. Conclusion: Dignity was preserved when the ambulance nurse showed respect and protected the patient in prehospital emergency care. The ambulance nurse students’ ethical obligation results in the courage to see when a patient’s dignity is in jeopardy of being humiliated. Humiliated dignity occurs when patients are ignored and left unprotected. This ethical dilemma affects the ambulance nurse students badly due to the fact that the morals and attitudes of ambulance nurses are reflected in their actions toward the patient. (shrink)

Background: Although human dignity is an unconditional value of every human being, it can be shattered by extrinsic factors. It is necessary to discover the authentic meaning of patients’ dignity preservation from different religious perspectives to provide professional cross-cultural care in a diverse setting. Research objective: This article identifies common experiences of Iranian Muslim and Armenian Christian patients regarding dignified care at the bedside. Research design: This is a qualitative study of participants’ experiences of dignified care elicited by individual in-depth (...) semi-structured interviews. Participants and research context: A purposeful sample of 10 participants (five Iranian Muslims and five Iranian Armenians) from various private and governmental hospital settings was chosen. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the ethics committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All the participants were provided with information about the purpose and the nature of the study, the voluntary condition of their participation in this study, and the anonymous reporting of recorded interviews. Findings: The common experiences of Christian and Muslim patients regarding dignity preservation emerged as “exigency of respecting human nobility” and “providing person-centered care.” Discussion and conclusion: It is essential to recognize the humanness and individuality of each patient to preserve and promote human dignity in diverse cross-cultural settings. The findings support and expand current understanding about the objective and subjective nature of dignity preservation in cross-cultural nursing. (shrink)

Background: Adolescents can be vulnerable to diminished dignity in the hospital because young people have significantly different healthcare needs than children and adults. They like to cooperate with caregivers only when they get respectful and dignified care. Care without considering dignity can adversely influence the adolescents’ recovery. However, many studies have been conducted on exploring the concept of the patients’ dignity from the adult patients and fewer studies still have explored the dignity of young people. Objective: This study explores the (...) hospitalized adolescents’ perception about dignity. Research design: A conventional qualitative content analysis method was used to explore the meaning of hospitalized adolescents’ dignity. Participants and research context: Hospitalized adolescents in general medical and surgical pediatric units were eligible to participate. Data were obtained through unstructured interviews. Purposive sampling was used and adolescents were recruited until data saturation was reached (n = 13). Ethical considerations: Ethical approval for the study was granted by the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Participants were provided with information about the purpose, reasons for recording interviews, voluntary participation, and confidentiality of data and interviewees. Findings: Dignity was reflected in four themes: (1) protection of personal privacy, (2) protection of autonomy, (3) respect for identity, and (4) intimate communication. Discussion and conclusion: Hospitalized adolescents stated that healthcare services should protect their personal privacy and autonomy. Also, they should respect the adolescent’s identity and communicate intimately with them to provide the dignity. Adolescence is a discrete developmental stage, with specific healthcare needs which must be addressed effectively by healthcare providers especially nurses. (shrink)

Background: Heart failure is a major growing problem and affects not only patients but also their families and community networks and reduces the functional capacity of patients and impairs their social life. Research questions: This study was conducted to investigate relationship between illness-related worries and social dignity in patients with heart failure. Design: The study had a descriptive-analytic design, and data collection was carried out by means of two specific questionnaires. Participants and context: A total of 130 inpatients from cardiac (...) wards in hospitals affiliated with Tehran and Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences participated. Ethical consideration: This study was approved by the Research Committee of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Results: The highest mean score of illness-related worries was attributed to the dimension of patient’s worry of physical–mental complications, and the least mean score was related to the dimension of the worry about the future of disease. The highest mean score of social dignity was associated with the dimension of social communication and support, and the least is attributed to the dimension of burden to others (economic). Pearson’s statistical test showed a significant correlation (r = 0.455, p < 0.05) between the score of illness-related worries and social dignity. Discussion: As the result of this study showed that reducing illness-related worries in patients with heart failure can improve their social dignity, using strategies to decrease worries and promote social dignity in these patients is recommended. Conclusion: This study affirms the importance of careful evaluation of individual patients to determine their needs related to dignity. We hope these results will help to promote actions by patient-care staff that honor and support patient dignity, resulting in benefits to patients and developing the quality of care based on human rights. (shrink)

Introduction: Maintaining dignity is one of the most important human rights. However, maintaining and promoting the dignity of nursing students as an important caregiver group has scarcely been considered. Dignity can be viewed as an abstract concept particularly in relation to the perspective of male nursing student perspective. Therefore, more investigation is required to explore the male students’ understanding of the concept of dignity. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to define and explain the concept of dignity among male (...) nursing students in the neonatal intensive care unit. Research design: This is a qualitative content analysis study. The data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews. The data were analyzed by conventional content analysis method. Participants and research context: Twenty male nursing students in public health centers in Iran were selected by targeted sampling to achieve data saturation between February 2017 and November 2017. Findings: The findings of this study were presented in three main themes, including “extensive support,” “belief in ability,” and “participation in decision making,” and 7 sub-categories of data were extracted. Ethical considerations: The study’s protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and the ethical principles were followed throughout the study. Discussion and conclusion: According to the findings of the study, male nursing students required extensive support, and their academic and practical skills required to be respected; in addition, they should be involved in decision making, because in such an environment, the dignity of these students will be maintained and promoted. Therefore, it is suggested that a cultural, professional, and institutional background in which all components of the male nursing student’s dignity are protected and emphasized should be provided. (shrink)

This study presents findings from an ontological and contextual determination of the concept of dignity. The study had a caritative and caring science perspective and a hermeneutical design. The aim of this study was to increase caring science knowledge of dignity and to gain a determination of dignity as a concept. Eriksson’s model for conceptual determination is made up of five part-studies. The ontological and contextual determination indicates that dignity can be understood as absolute dignity, the spiritual dimension characterized by (...) responsibility, freedom, duty, and service, and relative dignity, characterized by the bodily, external aesthetic dimension and the psychical, inner ethical dimension. Dignity exists in human beings both as absolute and relative dignity. (shrink)

Background: Respecting patients’ dignity has been described as a fundamental part of nursing care. Many studies have focused on exploring the concept of patients’ dignity from the patient and nurse perspective, but knowledge is limited regarding students’ nursing perceptions and experiences. Objective: To explore the issue of patients’ dignity from the perspective of nursing students. Research design: A qualitative study was employed with the formation of four focus groups and the participation of nursing students. Data were analysed via a thematic (...) content analysis of the discussions. Participants and research context: Thirty-four nursing students of a Cyprus University participated in the four focus groups. Each group was homogenous in terms of the year of study and heterogeneous in terms of clinical practice in various wards. Ethical consideration: The study’s protocol was reviewed and approved by the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee. Ethical standards were followed throughout the study. Findings: Several factors that maintain or compromise patients’ dignity emerged. These factors were grouped into five themes: (a) patients’ preferences, verbal abuse and regarding a patient as a unique person; (b) privacy and confidentiality; (c) loss of autonomy and need for help; (d) discrimination and (e) attribution and reciprocity. Discussion: Different understandings of the perceived concept of dignity and the factors that maintain or compromise patient’s dignity were expressed through the eyes and the feelings of nursing students. Students highlighted the importance of promoting patient dignity as an important component of nursing care. Conclusion: Nurse educators can use the findings of this study in order to tailor nursing programmes to emphasise the importance of respecting patients’ dignity. In addition, nurse ward managers can use the findings as means for persuading nurses to change current behaviour. (shrink)

This study presents findings from an ontological and contextual determination of the concept of dignity. The study had a caritative and caring science perspective and a hermeneutical design. The aim of this study was to increase caring science knowledge of dignity and to gain a determination of dignity as a concept. Eriksson’s model for conceptual determination is made up of five part-studies. The ontological and contextual determination indicates that dignity can be understood as absolute dignity, the spiritual dimension characterized by (...) responsibility, freedom, duty, and service, and relative dignity, characterized by the bodily, external aesthetic dimension and the psychical, inner ethical dimension. Dignity exists in human beings both as absolute and relative dignity. (shrink)

Background: Dignified care is one of the main objectives of holistic care. Furthermore, paying attention to dignity as one of the fundamental rights of patients is extremely important. However, in many cases, the dignity of hospitalized patients is not considered. Dignity is an abstract concept, and comprehensive studies of the dignity of Iranian patients hospitalized in general hospital settings are limited. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the concept of dignity from the perspective of patients hospitalized in (...) general hospital settings in Iran. Research design: This study takes a qualitative approach. Data were gathered using individual, semi-structured interviews. Qualitative content analysis was the method used to analyse and interpret the data. The criteria suggested by Guba and Lincoln were used ensure the trustworthiness of the study. Participants and research context: A total of 14 hospitalized patients in general hospital settings in Shiraz participated in this study. Ethical considerations: The Research Ethics Committee of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences approved the protocol of the study and the ethical principles were followed throughout. Findings: The findings of this study revealed four main themes – ‘respectful atmosphere’, ‘patient privacy’, ‘preservation of authority’ and ‘receiving attention’ – and 10 categories. Discussion: Patients need to be hospitalized in a respectable environment in which their privacy is preserved and paid attention, providing them with sufficient authority in terms of medical decisions and their life-related issues. The dignity of hospitalized patients will be preserved under these conditions. Conclusion: Patients hospitalized in general hospital settings need to retain their dignity. This can contribute to the optimal therapeutic outcomes for them. Therefore, it is suggested that a cultural, professional and institutional background, in which all components of the patient’s dignity are protected and emphasized, should be provided. (shrink)

Background: Nursing continues to gain legitimation epistemologically and ontologically as a scientific discipline throughout the world. If a profession gains respect as a true autonomous scientific profession, then this recognition has to be put in practice in all environments and geographical areas. Nursing professional dignity, as a self-regarding concept, does not have a clear definition in the literature, and it has only begun to be analyzed in the last 10 years. Objectives: The purpose of this meta-synthesis was to determine the (...) various factors that constitute the notion of nursing professional dignity. The target was to create a tentative model of the concept. Research design: The research design was a meta-synthesis (N = 15 original articles) of nursing professional dignity described in the literature, based on the guidelines by Noblit and Hare. Method and findings: Original studies were sought out from electronic databases and manual searches. The selection of literature was conducted on stages based on titles (n = 2595), abstracts (n = 70), and full-texts (n = 15) according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. From this analysis, a clear definition of nursing professional dignity emerged that underscored two main macro-dimensions constituting this intertwined, multidimensional, and complex notion: characteristics of the human beings and workplace elements. Conclusion: The recognition of nursing professional dignity could have a positive impact on patients because the results clearly showed that nurses are more prone to foster patients’ dignity, patients’ safety, and a better quality of care if their own dignity is respected. If nurses are uncomfortable, humiliated, or not seen in their professional role, it is difficult to give to others good care, good support, or good relationships. (shrink)

Background: Since “dignity” is one of the fundamental rights of every patient, consideration for patients’ dignity is essential. Unfortunately, in many cases, especially in cancer patients, dignity is not fully respected. Dignity is an abstract concept, and there are only a few comprehensive studies on the dignity of cancer patients in Iran. Research objective: This study aimed to evaluate the perception of Iranian cancer patients on human dignity. Research design: A qualitative research approach was used as the study design. The (...) data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the qualitative content analysis method. Participants and research context: This study was conducted on cancer patients in internal medicine wards in Iran. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews from May 2017 to February 2018. Ethical considerations: The study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of medical universities located in Southwest of Iran. The ethical principles were carefully followed throughout the study. Findings: Based on the results of the interviews, 3 main themes and 11 categories were determined. The main themes were identified as the “personal space and privacy,” “respect for human values,” and “moral support.” Discussion: The results of the present study showed the necessity of care for cancer patients in a respectful manner. The key elements in such care were the preservation of their personal space and privacy, respect for their values, and the provision of adequate moral support. These measures will have a positive effect on the perception of such patients on human dignity. Conclusion: Considering the special care required by cancer patients, the Iranian healthcare and hygiene managers should design and implement a care plan that includes the ethical principles related to human dignity. (shrink)

BackgroundBurn patients are among the most vulnerable groups of patients requiring principled ethical care. Caring for these patients often brings various ethical challenges for the members of the health care teams, especially nurses, which affect the clinical decisions made for these patients. A limited number of studies have addressed the ethical challenges of caring for burn patients for the responsible caregivers, so the present study attempted to identify these challenges. The present study aimed to explore the health professionals' experiences of (...) the ethical challenges during caring for burn patients.MethodsThis was a qualitative study with a descriptive, phenomenological design. 22 health professional practiced in public burn centers in Iran who met the inclusion criteria of the study were selected via purposeful sampling to participate in the study from June to August 2019. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with the individuals as well as field notes. Sampling was continued up to the data saturation. Thereafter, the collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method.ResultsThe findings of the study yielded 3 themes, including respect for the patient's privacy, respect for the patient's personal identity, and care challenges, as well as 9 categories.ConclusionThe findings of this study showed that the burn patients’ caregivers face some challenges in the domains of maintaining the patient's privacy, respecting the patient’s personal identity, and making the best clinical decision. Thus, providing the cultural, professional, and organizational requirements of meeting the challenges of caring for burn patients can consequently result in the caregivers’ inner peace and the improved performance. (shrink)

Background: The nature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the far-reaching unpleasant consequences of this disease and the treatments can put the dignity of the women with the disease at risk. Yet, the dignity of this population of patients has not been the subject of much research. Objective: The present study aims to define and describe the concept of dignity of women with SLE. Research design: This is a qualitative descriptive study in which data were collected via individual, in-depth, semi-structured (...) interviews. The collected data were analyzed using methods of content analysis in MAXQDA 2010. Participants and research context: In total, 29 individuals (14 patients, 8 family caregivers, and 7 nurses) were selected by purposeful sampling from the internal wards of a teaching hospital located in the south of Iran. The study was conducted between June 2023 and February 2024. Sampling continued until the data were saturated. Ethical considerations: The Institutional Review Board of the university has verified that the study complies with research ethics. Findings: Analysis of the data extracted from the interviews resulted in three themes: respect for identity, compassion in care and treatment, and fulfillment of support needs. Conclusions: The women with SLE who were surveyed in the present study needed to have their feminine identity and social identity respected and be comprehensively supported by their treatment team and family caregivers. In such a context, care characterized by compassion and empathy and treatment teams’ respectful and professional interactions with the patients contribute to maintaining the patients’ dignity. Nursing managers and staff can use the findings of the present study to create a supportive clinical environment in order to better maintain the dignity of women with SLE. (shrink)

Introduction: Maintaining patient dignity in a caregiving environment is one of the most important moral responsibilities for caregivers. Nonetheless, there are vulnerable groups, specifically teenagers, who in their final stages of life are prone to their dignity being threatened. Moreover, dignity is an abstract concept and there is no studies done on teenagers’ dignity in the final stages of life available in Iran.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the caregivers’ experiences regarding teenagers’ dignity in the final stages (...) of life.Research design: This study is a descriptive phenomenological qualitative research project. The data was collected using deep individual and semi-structured interviews as well as taking notes. The Colaizzi analysis method was used to analyze the data.Participants and research context: 22 caregivers working with teenagers in the final stages of life in a public health centers in Iran who had the criteria to enter the study were selected using a purposeful sampling method and invited to join the study from August 2018 to June 2019. The sampling continued until data saturation.Findings: The findings of the present study were presented in the form of three main themes including “private,” “respecting individual identity,” and “attention to teenagers’ needs” and an additional eight categories.Ethical Considerations: The study’s protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and all ethical principles were followed throughout the study.Discussion and conclusion: Based on the present study from the caregivers’ point of view, teenagers in their final stages of life required to be cared for and taught in an environment that their privacy was maintained and their individual identity was respected as well as getting attention from the caregivers and companions. In such situations, the teenagers felt calm and their dignity was maintained; therefore, providing a cultural, professional, and organizational setting where all the components of maintaining dignity in teenagers are supported and prioritized is necessary. (shrink)

Dignity represents the essence of nursing care; hence, nurses are professionally responsible for promoting understanding about the promotion, provision, and preservation of every patient’s dignity, while considering contextual differences. The aim of this study was to explore the factors that influence, promote, or compromise patient dignity. A purposeful sample of 14 participants with hospitalization experience was chosen, and individual in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. Using inductive content analysis, the themes and subthemes related to factors influencing patients’ dignity (...) were explored: “persona” (“personal beliefs” and “personal characteristics”), “communication behaviors” (“verbal interaction,” “body language,” “compassionate behavior,” and “devoting enough time”), and “staff conduct” (“professional commitment,” “adequate human resources,” and “staff’s proficiency and competency”). The findings revealed that it is essential to expand nurses’ insights and knowledge about preserving patients’ dignity and the factors that influence these. Recognizing and focusing on these factors will help nurses to establish practical measures for preserving and promoting patients’ dignity and providing more dignified care at the bedside. (shrink)

As an important professional value, dignity has always been an ethical concern in nursing education and practice. However, the dignity of nursing students in clinical environments has remained a little-discussed topic. This study aims to explore and describe nursing students’ dignity in clinical learning environments. This study is a qualitative descriptive work in which data were collected via semi-structured, in-depth, individual interviews and subsequently analyzed according to conventional content analysis. Based on the inclusion criteria of the study, nursing students were (...) selected from different departments of university hospitals in the south of Iran from October 2019 to December 2020 (n = 21). Sampling continued to the point of data saturation. This study has been approved by the institutional review board of the university. Two themes emerged from the data collected in the interviews: trust-based relationships and formation of professional identity. The findings of the study show that nursing students need to be supported by their instructors and perceive that the personnel and patients believe in their ability. In an effectively supportive, trust-based atmosphere, these factors can contribute to maintaining nursing students dignity. Also, showing respect for their personal identity, projecting a positive image of nursing, and giving them authority to perform executive and clinical tasks in hospital departments play a major role in the formation of nursing students’ professional identity and development of their dignity. Accordingly, it is recommended that in cultural contexts and clinical learning environments, more attention should be given to nursing students’ dignity. (shrink)

Introduction: Dignified care is one of the moral responsibilities of professional caregivers. However, in many cases the dignity of hospitalized patients, especially women in the delivery room, is not maintained. Dignity is an abstract concept and there has been no previous research exploring the dignity of pregnant women in the delivery room in Iran. Objectives: The objective of this study is to define and explain the concept of dignity for pregnant women in the delivery room from the perspectives of professional (...) caregivers. Research design: This is qualitative research. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured individual interviews. The conventional content analysis method was used to analyze the data. In qualitative content analysis, participant narrative is examined in-depth and sorted into categories and themes. Participants and research context: Potential participants who met the entrance criteria for this study were approached between July 2016 and February 2017. In all, 20 professional caregivers working in the delivery room setting within Iranian general hospitals were invited to participate in the study. The sampling was done through targeted sampling until saturation was achieved. Ethical considerations: The research ethics committee of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences has approved the study’s protocol and all commonly recognized ethical principles were followed throughout the study. Findings: The findings of this study were presented in three main themes, including “privacy,” “respecting patients’ preferences,” and “comprehensive attention” and eight categories. Discussions and conclusion: Women in the delivery room need to be taken care of in an environment where healthcare staff promote the preservation of dignity through maintaining privacy, by providing attentive care and through ensuring that patient preferences regarding care and treatment are respected. In such an environment, the dignity of these women would be maintained and desirable outcomes achieved. (shrink)