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. 2025 Jul 1;24(1):747.
doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-03363-8.

Mitigating the impact of the challenges of shortages of nurses and patient care equipment during crises: a qualitative study

Hamideh Azimi  1 , Maryam Momeni  2
Affiliations

Mitigating the impact of the challenges of shortages of nurses and patient care equipment during crises: a qualitative study

Hamideh Azimi et al. BMC Nurs. .

Abstract

Background: Despite the existence of various crisis management frameworks in hospitals, challenges related to the shortages of nurses and patient care equipment continue to plague health centers. The occurrence of unpredictable and new events in any crisis can make implementing the recommended solutions in the framework challenging. This study aimed to explain the solutions to mitigate the impact of the challenges of shortages of nurses and patient care equipment at the moment of crisis to complete or redesign crisis management frameworks to make them more effective.

Method: In this qualitative study, which was conducted with the content analysis method in 2024, participants were selected via purposive sampling. The data were collected via semi-structured individual in-depth interviews. All interviews were recorded and transcribed and then inductively analyzed via the constant comparison method and the Graneheim and Lundman method.

Results: Data analysis revealed that there are numerous practical opportunities among the threats and limitations of the crisis, some of which have been ignored even in crisis management frameworks. Therefore, the main theme of the data is employing opportunities. Solutions for employing opportunities were also identified in four subcategories, including completing team (including conscientious encouragement, volunteer nurses motivated by seeking God's satisfaction, and invitations), maintaining team integrity (including preventing physical exhaustion and preventing soul exhaustion), overcoming equipment bottlenecks (including the formation of logistics headquarters, nurse initiatives, and nurse sacrifices) and increasing hospitalization spaces (including freeing occupied spaces and annexation of other spaces).

Conclusion: Given that the solutions identified in the present study are the result of the participants' experiences, their applicability in crisis management is undeniable. Therefore, by paying attention to the identified solutions, more effective crisis management programs and frameworks can be developed.

Keywords: Crisis intervention; Crisis management; Emergencies; Nurse shortage.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Permission for conducting the study was granted by the Ethics Committee of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (IR.QUMS.REC.1403.328). The data were collected in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration (2013). The participants were informed about this study, and they provided written informed consent after it was emphasized that participation was completely voluntary and that participants could withdraw from the research at any time. In addition, participants were informed that their identity was not disclosed at any stage when the results were reported. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Main category, subcategories, primary subcategories and some primary codes
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Join hands to reduce limitations
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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