Exploring a guide for codes of ethics for the development of ethical competence in Iranian nursing students: a systematic review and meta-synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Improving the ethical competencies of nursing students, as an important dimension of professional competence, is a primary objective of nursing education. Thus, this study aimed to explore a guide for codes of ethics for the development of ethical competence among nursing students in the healthcare system of Iran. METHODS: This is a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies conducted in the healthcare system of Iran. The review included studies published between January 1, 2000 and March 2024. We conducted a comprehensive search in various international and national databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus, Barakatns, MagIran and SID. Initially, 86 qualitative studies were identified, and after a meticulous screening process, 39 studies were carefully reviewed. Finally, 10 qualitative studies were selected for analysis. The meta-synthesis employed an interpretive approach by thematic synthesis. RESULTS: Based on our results, four main themes and 10 categories, along with summarized codes, were extracted as crucial elements of the codes of ethics for the professional competence of Iranian nursing students. The main themes identified were knowledge, standards, experiences, and attitudes (KSEA). CONCLUSIONS: The concept of codes of ethics for developing professional competencies in Iranian nursing students was detected as a multidimensional concept with four major areas. By emphasizing the rights of clients and the standardization of nursing practice, this set of ethical codes can contribute to preventing clinical errors and legal issues at hospitals and educational settings. Furthermore, it fosters a positive environment that encourages professional behaviors among nursing students. Nursing students, as future nurses, should apply codes of ethics when facing emerging ethical challenges. Nurse educators have a crucial role in providing students with the necessary preparation and guidance during their professional socialization process in nursing schools.

Sense of coherence or self-efficacy as predictors of health-related quality of life in sickle cell disease patients.

Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) suffer from impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to determine the level of HRQoL, sense of coherence (SOC), and self-efficacy (SE) in a sample of SCD patients, and to explore predictors of their physical and mental HRQoL. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 83 SCD patients of one university hospital. The data of the study was collected through Persian versions of the Short-Form Health Survey SF-36 (RAND 36-item), the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13), and the Sickle Cell Self-Efficacy Scale (SCSES). The mean age of the patients was 26.34 ± 8.19 years old. Patients' mean scores for the Physical Component Summary (PCS), Mental Component Summary (MCS), SOC, and SCSES were 40.57 ± 17.18 (range: 0-100), 50.44 ± 17.95 (range: 0-100), 52.40 ± 15.35 (range: 13-91), 26.40 ± 6.96 (range: 9-45), respectively. Regression models showed that the level of the patients' SOC, was the main predictor of the MCS (ß = 0.37, p < 0.001). However, the level of the patients' SE was the main predictor of the PCS (ß = 0.30, p = 0.004). Also, "blood transfusion history" in patients was a common predictor for both the PCS (ß = - 0.28, p = 0.008) and the MCS (ß = - 0.29, p = 0.003). These results can assist nurses and clinicians to plan clinical interventions for SCD patients by focusing on increasing the level of the SOC and SE and improving SCD patients' HRQoL. Furthermore, measuring the level of the SOC and self-efficacy as screening tests are useful to find patients with a greater risk of impaired HRQoL.

A systematic review on clinical guidelines of home health care in heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: "Guidelines for the care of heart failure patients at home support safe and effective evidence-based practice. The aims of the present study were: [1] to identify guidelines addressing the care at home for adults with heart failure and [2] evaluate the quality of the guidelines and the extent to which they address eight components of home-based HF disease management." METHODS: A systematic review was conducted of articles published between 1st of January 2000 to 17th of May 2021 using the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane, and nine specific websites for guideline development organisations. Clinical guidelines for HF patients with recommendations relevant to care provision at home were included. The results were reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA-2020) criteria. The quality of included guidelines was evaluated using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation-II (AGREE-II) by two authors independently. Guidelines were evaluated for their coverage of eight components of HF care at home, consisting of integration, multi-disciplinary care, continuity of care, optimized treatment, patient education, patient and partner participation, care plans with clear goals of care, self-care management and palliative care. RESULTS: Ten HF guidelines, including two nursing-focused guidelines and eight general guidelines were extracted from 280 studies. After evaluation of quality by AGREE-II, two guidelines obtained the highest score: "NICE" and the "Adapting HF guideline for nursing care in home health care settings. Five guidelines addressed all eight components of care at home while the others had six or seven. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review identified ten guidelines addressing care at home for patients with HF. The highest quality guidelines most relevant to the care at home of patients with HF are the "NICE" and "Adapting HF guideline for nursing care in home health care settings" and would be most appropriate for use by home healthcare nurses.

Challenges of Integrated Home-Based Palliative Care Services for Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Content Analysis.

Given the situation of cancer patients as vulnerable patients and the threat of COVID-19 in the society, integration of home-based palliative care services into the healthcare system is essential. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the current barriers of integration of palliative care services from hospital to home for cancer patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic and to provide suggestions to resolve them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 stakeholders in the healthcare system, including health policy makers, healthcare providers, clinical home healthcare experts, home healthcare researchers, university faculty members, clergy, family caregivers, and cancer patients. Data were analyzed using directed content analysis method based on the World Health Organization Public Health Strategy for Palliative Care. Challenges were extracted in 4 main categories, containing education barriers (3 subcategories), implementation barriers (9 subcategories), policy barriers (5 subcategories), and drug availability barriers (2 subcategories). Based on the results, removing the barriers and establishing a strong infrastructure for home-based palliative care services is recommended in the healthcare system by concentrating on 4 essential factors, that is, utilizing a coordinating nurse during the process of patient's hospital discharge, establishment of connecting outpatient palliative care clinics to home healthcare centers, access to palliative care tele-medicine and development of a comprehensive and flexible home-based palliative cancer care model in our context.

Exploring the relationship between sexual function, sense of coherence, and well-being in a sample of Iranian breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: This study was aimed at exploring the type and role of relationships between sexual function, sense of coherence (SOC), and well-being in a sample of Iranian breast cancer survivors. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study with correlational design, data were collected from 181 survivors by consecutive sampling. They answered demographic and clinical information sheet, the SOC scale, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and the Health Index (HI). The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: The mean age of survivors was 47.04 ± 9.05 years. Most survivors were menopausal (51.9%) and underwent mastectomy (69.1%), and 12 months or more had passed since their treatment ended (71.2%). Sexual function was positively correlated with the level of SOC (r = 0.20) and the HI (r = 0.33). Also, there was a positive correlation between the level of SOC and the HI (r = 0.51). The results of logistic regression analyses showed the protective role of the SOC (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.92-0.97) and the HI (OR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.79-0.96) for women's sexual function. According to these results, the mediating role of the SOC was assessed between the variables of the HI and the FSFI. The SOC revealed a complete mediating effect in this relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The mediator role of the SOC between survivors' well-being and their sexual function helps nurses and clinicians to understand how the SOC can be used as a screening test to detect survivors who are at risk of sexual problems and to plan for salutogenic interventions.

Home care for burn survivors: A phenomenological study of lived experiences.

Background: Burn injuries have negative impacts on all dimensions of the quality of life of burn victims. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of burn survivors after a 6-month period of home care following hospital discharge.Method: This is a qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. Sixteen burn survivors from a university hospital in Kermanshah province participated in the study. Qualitative data were analyzed by Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenological approach.Results: "Rehabilitation in the process of life" was the main theme of the study with four sub-themes, including "conducting process", "caring bridge", "humanitarian commitment for human revival", and "healing care".Conclusions: Home care is necessary for burn survivors after discharge from the hospital. The connection of healthcare services between home and hospital, safety feeling in the patient and his/her family, cost-effectiveness of healthcare services, and encouraging the patient to perform self-care can be achieved by home care follow-ups.

The Role of Family Caregiver's Sense of Coherence and Family Adaptation Determinants in Predicting Distress and Caregiver Burden in Families of Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Most cancer patients' families suffer from maladaptation which increases family distress and caregiving burden. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between these maladaptation indicators, and the sense of coherence (SOC) of family caregivers alongside other family resilience determines among family caregivers of cancer patients. METHODS: A total of 104 family caregivers of cancer patients were included in this cross-sectional study. They answered three questionnaires to assess family resilience factors: Family Inventory of Resources for Management (FIRM), Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES), and SOC scale. In addition, family maladaptation factors were determined by two instruments, including Family Distress Index (FDI) and Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI). RESULTS: The results of this study showed that the FIRM and the SOC together were responsible for 35% and 43% of the variances in FDI and CBI scores, respectively (P < 0.001). "Reframing", the subscale of the F-COPES, significantly predicted the variances of FDI (ß = -0.26, P = 0.01) and CBI scores (ß = -0.21, P = 0.04). Moreover, "Mastery and health", the subscale of the FIRM, significantly predicted the variances of FDI (ß = -0.38, P < 0.01) and CBI scores (ß = -0.21, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Family caregiver's SOC alongside other family resilience determinants plays a significant role in alleviating family distress and caregiver burden. It is suggested that palliative care providers consider family caregivers' SOC in developing a psychological intervention plan to improve family resilience in families of cancer patients.

Exploring oncology nurses' perception of the consequences of clinical empathy in patients and nurses: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: Clinical empathy is the ability to understand the patient's situation, perspective, feelings, and actions, based on the patient's perception, in a helping or therapeutic way. This study was conducted with the aim of exploring oncology nurses' perception of the consequences of clinical empathy in patients and nurses and the factors influencing it. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted by semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The participants were 6 male and 9 female oncology nurses who were selected by purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. RESULTS: The theme of "empathy as a double-sided mirror" was created, based on oncology nurses' perception of the effects of clinical empathy in patients and nurses. Two themes of "organizational factors" and "contextual factors" were generated in response to influencing factors on clinical empathy. CONCLUSIONS: By awareness of the effects of clinical empathy, controlling the barriers and strengthening the facilitators, there is a possibility to design interventional programs to develop empathy as a clinical competency in oncology nurses.

Recommendations for spiritual care in cancer patients: a clinical practice guideline for oncology nurses in Iran.

BACKGROUND: In spite of the necessity of implementing spiritual care practices for cancer patients, there is no clear process in this regard in palliative care programs of the health system of countries. The present study was designed with the aim of developing a clinical practice guideline of spiritual care in cancer patients for oncology nurses in the current context. METHODS: This is a multi-method study which was conducted in five stages within the framework of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline. A research committee consisting of four focal and 16 secondary members was formed. The stages included determining the scope of the study, developing guideline (a qualitative study and a systematic review, triangulation of the data, and producing a preliminary draft), consultation stage (validation of the guideline in three rounds of the Delphi study), as well as revision and publication stages. RESULTS: The clinical guideline of spiritual care with 84 evidence-based recommendations was developed in three main areas, including the human resources, care settings, and the process of spiritual care. CONCLUSIONS: We are hoping by applying this clinical guideline in oncology settings to move towards an integrated spiritual care plan for cancer patients in the context of our health system. Healthcare organizations should support to form spiritual care teams under supervision of the oncology nurses with qualified healthcare providers and a trained clergy. Through holistic care, they can constantly examine the spiritual needs of cancer patients alongside their other needs by focusing on the phases of the nursing process.

The effect of family-centered empowerment program on the family caregiver burden and the activities of daily living of Iranian patients with stroke: a randomized controlled trial study.

Dependence of stroke survivors regarding the ability to perform activities of daily living imposes a burden on family caregivers. The study evaluated the effect of the family-centered empowerment program on the ability of Iranian patients with stroke to perform activities of daily living, as well as on family caregiver burden. In this randomized controlled trial study, a total of 90 pairs of patients with stroke and their family caregivers was selected and randomly assigned to the intervention or control groups. Patients and their family caregivers participated in four family-centered empowerment program sessions over four consecutive days while the patient was hospitalized. The difference in the ability of patients with stroke in the intervention and control groups to perform activities of daily living was not significant 2 weeks after the intervention. However, the ability of patients with stroke in the intervention group to perform activities of daily living increased significantly 2 months after the intervention compared with the control group: 66 ± 35.95 and 51.31 ± 36.28, respectively (p = 0.047). Two weeks after the intervention, the family caregiver burden significantly decreased in the intervention group (29.55 ± 15.38) compared with the control group (38.77 ± 18.53 and p = 0.012). The burden in the intervention group also decreased 2 months after the intervention compared with the control group: 22.95 ± 15.68 and 36.11 ± 18.88, respectively (p < 0.001). Nurses can use the family-centered empowerment program to improve the quality of life of patients with stroke, and to reduce the burden of family caregivers.

Lived experiences of burn survivors regarding the challenges of home care follow-ups: a phenomenological study.

Burn victims often require long-term treatments. Patients prefer to be at home while receiving care services but there are some deficiencies in conducting home care. To explore the challenges of nurse-led follow-up, 16 burn survivors who received home care for 6 months were interviewed. The theme, "barriers of care," was extracted. It included two subthemes entitled "Barriers related to implementation of home care and "Barriers of ideality." Providing home care for burn survivors encounters several barriers that were classified into two categories including modifiable and nonmodifiable barriers. Suitable infrastructure and policies are necessary to conduct home care for burn survivors.

Factors affecting spiritual care practices of oncology nurses: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: Spiritual care is a component of the holistic nursing approach. But in practice, nurses face many challenges during the implementation of spirituality care. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators affecting spiritual care practices by oncology nurses. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted using a conventional content analysis based on semi-structured interviews with 25 participants, including cancer patients and their family members, oncology nurses, physicians, psychologist, and spiritual researcher-therapists. RESULTS: The results showed that the two main themes of the study, "spiritual competency" and "spiritual inefficiency" in healthcare organization, were two major factors in implementing spiritual care practices for cancer patients by oncology nurses. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study emphasize the necessity of developing coherent spiritual care programs in hospitals and removing administrative barriers. Teaching spiritual care in nursing courses at schools and continuing education programs for training of healthcare team members are necessary. Likewise, forming a spiritual care team with oncology nurses at the center and defining their members' roles and responsibilities are essential. Hospital managers can also make fruitful steps by establishing a monitoring system and identifying the needs and barriers for spiritual care in oncology settings.

General Family Functioning as a Predictor of Quality of Life in Parents of Children With Cancer.

PURPOSE: The diagnosis of cancer in a child brings about a crisis for the whole family. This study aimed to (1) determine family functioning and parents' quality of life in comparison with groups in relevant studies, (2) assess the correlation between dimensions of family functioning and parents' quality of life domains, and (3) explore the predictive role of general family functioning (GFF) for quality of life domains in a sample of families (mother-father as a dyad) of children with cancer. DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study which was performed on 62 pairs of parents of children with cancer (n = 124). Data were collected using the Demographic-Clinical Information Questionnaire, validated Persian versions of the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD) and the World Health Organization's Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BRFF). The Canonical Correlation Analysis and the Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) model were used for data analysis. RESULTS: All dimensions of the FAD were reported as unhealthy dimensions. Also, a poor quality of life was reported in all domains by parents. Most of the family functioning dimensions were correlated with quality of life domains. Consequently, after controlling for several demographic and clinical variables the GFF was the most important predictor of parents' quality of life and its domains. CONCLUSIONS: The GFF should be measured at the first meeting with a family of a child with cancer and during the follow-up meetings to help plan family empowerment interventions.

Stability of the 13-item sense of coherence (SOC) scale: a longitudinal prospective study in women treated for breast cancer.

PURPOSES: To test the stability of the SOC scale over time and to test the stability of the latent construct in 417 breast cancer patients at the time of diagnosis, after 1 year and in a subsample (n = 80) also 2 and 3 years later. METHODS: The 13-item SOC scale was firstly tested with mean values and ICC over time and secondly explored with cross-sectional factor analysis, separately for two time points (baseline and after 1 year), followed by a longitudinal factor analyses. RESULTS: Our results provide support for the stability over time (ICC 0.68, effect size 0.06). The cross-sectional factor analysis revealed a modified three-factor and a second-order factor model meeting criteria for goodness of fit. The longitudinal modified second-order factor model confirmed the construct stability character of the SOC scale with an acceptable goodness-of-fit criteria; X (2)/df = 2.91; GFI = 0.87; RMSEA = 0.07; CFI = 0.84; AIC = 962.3. The proportion of variance (R (2)) was 0.42. CONCLUSIONS: The SOC scale is stable over time when applied to women with breast cancer. The longitudinal factor analysis gives support of a stable latent construct in the second-order factor model, allowing for merging all items to one scale reflecting the theoretical construct of SOC. Measurement errors between some items challenge future studies on alternative factor structures.

Sense of coherence as a mediator of health-related quality of life dimensions in patients with breast cancer: a longitudinal study with prospective design.

BACKGROUND: In our previous study, we found that the degree of sense of coherence (SOC) and baseline ratings of several dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were the most important predictors of HRQoL changes 6 months after the pre-diagnosis period of breast cancer. To find a way to explain these findings, the aim of this study was to explore the mediating effect of the SOC between ratings of HRQoL dimensions before final diagnosis, and ratings of the same dimensions at the 6 months follow up, within a sample of women with breast cancer. METHODS: A longitudinal study with a prospective design at baseline (T1) and 6 months later (T2) was conducted on 162 women with breast cancer. To measure HRQoL dimensions three different questionnaires, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-30, the SF-12 Health Survey version 2 and the Health Index were applied at T1 and T2 to cover both diagnostic-specific and generic dimensions. Measurement of the SOC as a mediator was done by the SOC-13 scale. RESULTS: Mediational analyses on eight significant pairs of HRQoL dimensions showed that the degree of SOC totally mediated variations of global quality of life (p < 0.001) as well as cognitive and social functioning (p <0.05) scores between T1 to T2. Changes in the scores of emotional functioning (p < 0.01), fatigue (p < 0.05), financial difficulties (p < 0.05), well-being (p < 0.001), and mental health component (p < 0.001) were partially mediated. The degree of SOC explained 16% to 45% of the variances in HRQoL dimensions at T2. CONCLUSIONS: The mediating pathway of the SOC in the context of this study appears to be the key to understanding how a higher sense of coherence as an inner resource may serve as a protective psychological factor in the adaptation process of the patients. Clinicians might consider coherence-oriented structure of the SOC and the connection between the SOC and HRQoL data in intervention plans from the first visit onwards. It may assist the identification of women who are at greater risk for maladaptation to the breast cancer trajectory.

Health-related quality of life and the predictive role of sense of coherence, spirituality and religious coping in a sample of Iranian women with breast cancer: a prospective study with comparative design.

BACKGROUND: There is disagreement among studies of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) changes in breast cancer patients over time. Reportedly, assessment of HRQoL prior to diagnosis may be crucial to provide a clear point of comparison for later measurements. The aims of this study were (1) to investigate changes in HRQoL, sense of coherence (SOC), spirituality and religious coping in a group of women with breast cancer from the pre-diagnosis phase to 6 months later in comparison with a control group, and (2) to explore the predictor role of SOC, spirituality, and religious coping within the breast cancer group at the 6-month follow-up. METHODS: A sample of women with breast cancer (n = 162) and a matched control group (n = 210) responded to the following instruments on both occasions: the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30, the SOC Scale, the Spiritual Perspective Scale and the Brief Religious Coping Scale. A series of General Linear Model (GLM) Repeated Measures was used to determine changes between the groups over time. Also, Multiple Linear Regression analyses were applied to each of the HRQoL dimensions, as dependent variable at the 6 months follow-up. RESULTS: Physical and role function, fatigue, and financial difficulties were rated worse by the women with breast cancer during the first 6 months in comparison to the controls, which was both a statistically (p < 0.001) and clinically significant difference. Women had better scores for global quality of life (p < 0.001), and emotional functioning (p < 0.01) during the same period of time. The degree of SOC (p < 0.01) and baseline ratings of several dimensions of HRQoL (p < 0.05) were the most important predictors of HRQoL changes. CONCLUSIONS: Collecting HRQoL data before a final diagnosis of breast cancer is important to identify women at risk of deterioration in HRQoL during and after treatment. Special attention should be paid to physical and role functioning impairment, fatigue, and financial difficulties experienced by these women. These results underscore that the degree of SOC may be more important as a predictor for HRQoL changes in this sample than spirituality and religious coping.

Exploring Lived Experiences of Vulnerability in Nursing Management during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study of Nurse Managers and Nurses.

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic placed enormous pressure on healthcare systems around the world, but it also provided valuable insights for healthcare organizations during this challenging period. Objective: This study aimed to explore nurses' lived experiences of vulnerability in hospital nursing management during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reflect on the lessons learned. Methods: In this phenomenological study, 14 participants, including nurse managers at different levels and staff nurses, were selected by purposive sampling from one center university hospital. Data collection was done through in-depth individual semistructured interviews with participants and a review of weekly reports of crisis management meetings at the university hospital. Interviews were analyzed using Colaizzi's method in seven phases by MAXQDA software Version 10. Results: One overarching theme, four themes, and 15 subthemes were obtained from analyses of interviews. Four themes of "nurses' attrition," "distrust of society to the organization," "fragility in the organization's performance," and "intensified inequalities" were extracted as threats to nursing management at the hospital. Subsequently, the weekly reports of crisis management meetings at the university hospital were analyzed to extract the solutions and lessons. Conclusion: The unpreparedness of the healthcare system against a crisis can led to the loss of organizational assets, including medical staff and the credibility of the healthcare system. Limitations of the infrastructure at hospital became more obvious during the pandemic and caused serious threats to the healthcare system. Despite severe challenges along with the pandemic, it offered four valuable lessons in nursing management.

'Development and psychometric evaluation of the safety feeling scale in adult patients at hospital: Exploratory sequential mixed method'.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop and examine psychometric properties of the safety feeling scale (SFS) in adult patients to assess their sense of safety during a hospital stay. DESIGN: Mixed methods design. A SQUIRE checklist was used. METHODS: This is a study with two phases of scale development and evaluation of the psychometric properties of the scale. In the first phase, the concept of 'safety feeling' was analysed using a hybrid model. Thus, a systematic review and then a qualitative study with hospitalized patients (n = 31) were conducted by conventional content analysis. In the psychometric phase, factorial validity, reliability, feasibility, and responsiveness of the scale were evaluated by different tests in various samples. RESULTS: After integrating the results of the systematic review and qualitative study, a scale item pool with 84 items was developed. In the psychometric phase, 12 items with four factors were specified; 'effective care,' 'confidence in the healthcare team,' 'emotional enrichment' and 'hygienic facilities,' explaining 51% of the total variance of the scale. They were confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency and stability of the scale were satisfactory. Feasibility and responsiveness were also acceptable.

The experiences of home care team members regarding the needs of family caregivers of heart failure patients in home health care services in Iran: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Home healthcare guidelines emphasize the engagement of family caregivers of heart failure (HF) patients in patient care at home. Thus, this study was conducted with the aim to explore the deep experiences of home care team members regarding the needs of family caregivers of HF patients in home healthcare services in Iran. METHODS: The present qualitative study was performed with a conventional content analysis approach. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 23 participants who were recruited through purposive sampling. The Data were analyzed using the Graneheim and Lundman method for conventional content analysis in MAXQDA Software. RESULTS: The participants included 14 women and 9 men with the mean age of 46.21 ± 11.44 years. After analyzing the interviews, 3 main categories and 15 subcategories were extracted. The main categories were "family caregiver's unmet needs" (with 5 subcategories), "Empowering Informal Caregivers" (with 3 subcategories), and "access to a standard home healthcare system" (with 7 subcategories). CONCLUSION: Deep understanding of the needs of family caregivers of HF patients in home health care services increases the quality of services, the quality of life (QOL) of the family, and prevents patients' hospital readmissions. Moreover, it will contribute to our next project of the home healthcare guideline for HF patients in the health care system of Iran. Identifying the training needs of caregivers within the home health care services has an important role in the designing of education strategies in policy making programs at the level of the Ministry of Health or planning at lower levels of the health network.