Incongruent Perceptions Among Nurses and Patients: A Qualitative Study of Patient's Dignity in Iran

Abstract

Dignity is the most fundamental right of every human being, patients in particular. Despite being a fairly disputed concept, dignity is a multidimensional issue, the interpretation of which is affected by a multitude of factors. Semistructured interviews and observation data from 35 patients, their companions, and nurses were performed to highlight their views with regard to patients’ dignity in health care centers. Although findings reveal that nearly all patients felt that their dignity had been violated, there is a considerable difference between participants’ viewpoints of dignity. Interactions among participants can increase their awareness of dignity and may lead to its maintenance.

Keywords:

• dignity
• patient dignity
• health care
• nursing
• qualitative study

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Camellia Torabizade was responsible for the study conception and performed the data collection; Camellia Torabizade, Hossein Ebrahimi, and Eesa Mohammadi performed the data analysis; Eesa Mohammadi, Hossein Ebrahimi, and Sousan Valizadeh made critical revisions to the paper and supervised the study. Camellia Torabizade led the writing of the manuscript. All authors helped to conceptualize ideas, interpret findings, and review drafts of the manuscript.

We are grateful to all of the honorable participants who voluntarily participated in this study and shared their valuable experiences. This study has been carried out in Shiraz, so the authors gratefully acknowledge the Research Center affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.