Characteristics of a good nurse as perceived by nurses.

BACKGROUND: Nursing is a humanitarian and social field that provides health services. It combines science and art and has a rich history. Despite fundamental changes in the provision of medical services and nursing education, the concept of "good nurse" is still unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to investigate the characteristics of a good nurse from the nurses' perspective. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD: A qualitative study was applied using conventional content analysis. The participants were 30 nurses that selected with purposive sampling method. Data were collected through unstructured interviews and simultaneously analyzed via the conventional content analysis approach of Graneheim and Lundman. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. FINDINGS: The study revealed that personal characteristics (Adherence to ethical and human principles, Physical health, Attractive appearance, and Ability to communicate properly); and professional characteristics (knowledge - clinical skill - nursing roles) are essential to being a good nurse. CONCLUSION: Coming to know the distinctive features of a good nurse as perceived by nurses themselves creates an opportunity for nurses to rethink their profession and to reflect on the characteristics of the good nurse.

Through the eyes of nurses: a content analysis of nurses' experiences in caring for COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: In the current global climate, the nursing staff has placed a significant emphasis on developing effective self-protection strategies and implementing measures to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases, with a particular focus on the highly communicable COVID-19 virus. Ensuring the safety and well-being of both healthcare providers and patients has made it imperative to incorporate this aspect into healthcare provision. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to describe the experiences of nurses in providing care for patients infected with COVID-19. METHODOLOGY: This qualitative content analysis study, following COREQ guidelines, involved 18 nurses who were taking care of COVID-19 patients at Shahid Mohamadi Hospital, a general hospital in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan Province. The hospital is affiliated with Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences and the research was conducted in 2022.The sampling method was purposive, and unstructured interviews were used. Data collection continued until data saturation was achieved. Data analysis was performed continuously and concurrently through the collection of data using conventional content analysis methods. FINDINGS: The qualitative analysis of the data revealed three main themes centered on challenges related to nurses' self-care, patient care, and the healthcare delivery system. CONCLUSION: Overall, to address the challenges faced by healthcare providers caring for COVID-19 patients, their needs must be prioritized. This includes establishing a prepared healthcare system, implementing strategies to protect their well-being, and learning from their experiences for future disease outbreaks and disasters.