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.

Prescription of Cancer Treatment Modalities in Developing Countries:Results from a Multi-Centre Observational Study

Background: Treatment is an important component of a comprehensive cancer control approach and its outcomes strongly depend on infrastructure, equipment, human and financial resources available. Therefore it is imperative to generate evidence-based tools to assist health policy makers from low resourced countries in planning efficient and equitable treatment services for a defined population based on what it is feasible to these settings. Methods: The intended cancer spe-cific treatment planned and written in the patients’ medical record (treatment prescription) of untreated adult cancer cases (≥18 years of age), excluding non-melanoma skin cancer, was recorded in a chronological way from 1 January 2012 onwards in a group of eight comprehensive cancer centres located in middle income countries and offering the main modalities of cancer treatment (surgery, medical oncology and radiotherapy). Results: A total of 17,713 medical records were reviewed, of which 7106 (54.2%) met the eligibility criteria. Prescription of main cancer treatment modalities were distributed as follows: 57.6% for chemotherapy (n = 4093), 56.8% for surgery (n = 4038), and 46.8% for radiotherapy (n = 3327). There was a predominance of plans consisting of combined treatment modalities over monotherapy (55.2% versus 44.8%). At the time of diagnosis 54.3% of the cancer cases had disease that had spread beyond the primary site, 41.2% were considered as having local disease and in 4.5% of the cases the information on disease extension was unknown. Conclusions: The results obtained should be seen as an approximation of cancer treatment service demand based on what it is currently practiced and therefore feasible in developing countries, particularly in middle income countries.