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Volume 3, Issue 2 (12-2003)
Background. The dynamic and uncertain nature of health care environment requires nurses to be competent decision makers and to respond to the clients needs. Recently, the public and the government have criticized Iranian nurses because of a low quality patient care. However, the nurses’ views and experiences concern- ing the factors affecting their clinical practice and clinical decision making have rarely been investigated. Therefore, this research tried to study the viewpoints, perceptions and experiences of Iranian nurses concerning the factors affecting their clinical decision making. Methods. A qualitative research with Grounded theory methodology was used to study the participants’ lived experiences and their viewpoints regarding the factors affecting their clinical practice and clinical decision making. Un-structured interviews and participant observation methods were used to gather the data. Thirty eight participants were interviewed and twelve sessions of observation by taking field notes were carried out. Constant comparative analysis method was used to analyze the data. Results. Five main categories emerged from the data, indicating the participants’ points of view. “Being competent” and “feeling self-confident” were the most important internal factors, and “organizational culture”, “nursing education”, and “supporting structures” were considered as the most important external factors affecting their clinical decision -making. Conclusion. As participants in this research implied, although being competent and self-confident were important factors in nurses’ clinical decision making, organizational culture and structure were the core variables affecting other variables. Nurse managers and nurse educators are responsible for identifying barriers and enhancing factors within the organizational structure that facilitate nurses’ clinical decision-making.
Volume 7, Issue 1 (6-2007)
Introduction: Employing management skills directs staff performance. This study was done to determine the effects of management development programs by learning groups’ technique, on the leadership styles of nurse managers as well as staff nurse empowerment. Methods: A pre-experimental study was performed as one-group with pre and post-test in a teaching hospital in Tehran during the year 2004. All nurse managers (n=20) and staff nurses (n=111) in that hospital participated in the study. The Leadership Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ) and Workplace Empowerment Questionaire were used for measuring leadership styles and staff empowerment before and one month after intervention. Learning groups were formed through discussion sessions about managerial behavior in case scenarios which had happened in that hospital. The data analysis using descriptive statistics, Paired T, and Mc Nemar was done by SPSS. Results: The Comparative analysis showed that nurse managers rated their own leadership styles similarly before and after intervention, while from staff nurses’ viewpoints, it significantly changed. Also, there was a difference between staff empowerment before and after intervention. Conclusion: The management development program with applying "Learning- Groups" method will change leadership behavior in nurse managers and this positive effect could be approved by staff nurses and promote their empowerment. Thus, this method is recommended.
Volume 13, Issue 1 (4-2013)
Introduction: Study of faculty members’ viewpoints seems to be necessary in order to understand the empowering procedure of faculty members and university development to create a potent atmosphere. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess, recognize and prioritize these factors and accordingly a guide to develop a structured questionnaire, to be used for assessing faculty empowerment in a school /university. Methods: In a descriptive-analytical study, using purposive convenience sampling method, the viewpoints of 53 faculty members of Shiraz and Jahrom medical universities were evaluated. First, using existing literature as well as experts’ opinions, the initial list of strategies was developed and validated then, a questionnaire based on 5-point Likert-scale was developed and its reliability was confirmed (Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient=.85) then it was delivered to study population. Underlying structure of questionnaire was determined by exploratory factor analysis. Bartlett test and KOM index were respectively used for evaluating the sampling adequacy and appropriateness of analysis for structure identification. Friedman test was used for calculating viewpoints’ mean scores. Results: The variables of "Participation in academic activities", "allocating rewards according to professional progress", and "allotting rewards for innovations" showed the highest effectiveness (the means were 17.68, 16.79 and 16.42 respectively). On the other hand, performance evaluation by the students (Mean Rank: 9.87) and the relevant department (Mean Rank: 7.7) showed a minimal effect. The results of Bartlett's analysis and KOM measure showed that the collected data was appropriate for factor analysis. Nine factors having value more than 1 were identified which elucidated 74.5% of total variance of all variables. Conclusion: Several strategies are necessary for faculty members’ empowerment and to enforce workplace development such as access to opportunities, information, support, and resources. Moreover, effective motivation along with sense of being valued and efficient could facilitate the empowerment process. Hence, a well-organized administration based on democratic and collaborative principles could ease this procedure.
Volume 14, Issue 12 (3-2015)
Introduction: Evaluation of research barriers in any scientific field is of great significance and can reveal the field’s deficiencies and weaknesses. The aim of this study was to assess the reasons for faculty members’ lack of interest in doing research in the field of education from their own perspective in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on all faculty members of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences in 2012. The participants were selected through the census method(165). Data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire through which faculty members declared their opinions about educational research problems based on a four-point Likert scale from completely disagree to completely agree (1 to 4). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tests, and Chi-square test. Results: Out of 165 distributed questionnaires, 137 were completed (83% response rate). The most frequent problem declared by faculty members was the tendency to do research in their own fields. Associate professors complained more than assistant professors and instructors about being busy and having no time for educational research (p=0.017). Also Clinical faculty members complained more than non-clinical faculty members about being busy and having no time for educational research (p=0.009). Conclusion: Results showed a necessity in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences to make arrangements for planning and running workshops of research in education, and to consider special benefits for faculty members in order to carry out research in the field of education.
Volume 15, Issue 0 (4-2015)
Introduction: Understanding the process of empowerment and promoting universities’ capabilities to create an empowered atmosphere are factors affecting functions of education which require identification of the strategies and effective factors in faculty members’ empowerment. The present study was conducted to identify and determine the most appropriate strategies of educational empowerment for faculty members of medicine from the viewpoints of faculty members of Mashhad School of Medicine. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 in Mashhad School of Medicine. Initially, a list of appropriate strategies to empower faculty members was extracted from reviewing documents, literature, and experts’ opinions then, a researcher-made questionnaire was developed based on the list, and after verifying the content validity and reliability by means of test-retest (correlation coefficient at 0.87), was distributed among 96 faculty members (20 faculty members of basic sciences, 76 clinical faculty members) who were selected through stratified random sampling. Each strategy was evaluated as appropriate (3), rather appropriate (2) or inappropriate (1). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis). Results: The strategies of workshops, observation of the best performance, short-term training courses and fellowship were the most appropriate strategies with means of 2.33, 2.42, 2.51, and 2.59, respectively while monitoring professors’ performance was identified as an inappropriate strategy. Results showed that the strategies of workshops, short-term training courses and fellowship were correlated with the age of faculty members (p<0.05). No significant correlation was found between the strategy of observation of the best performance and faculty members’ age and also between the most appropriate educational empowerment strategies and other individual characteristics of faculty members (gender, type of faculty member, academic ranking, academic degree, type of employment and working experience) (p>0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study could be helpful for managers, instructors and planners of empowerment courses for faculty members.
Volume 17, Issue 0 (4-2017)
Introduction: Neonatal care unit nurses should acquire and maintain the necessary specialized knowledge for providing skillful and high quality care during their professional career. This study aimed to examine the impact of virtual-based education on nurses’ psychological empowerment in the level II neonatal care unit.
Methods: This quasi- experimental study was carried out in 2015 on 80 nurses working in level II neonatal care units of hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences; subjects were randomly assigned to two groups of intervention and control groups. The level of nurses’ psychological empowerment was measured using Spreitzer’s psychological empowerment questionnaire on the first day of study and after the course. For the intervention group, the educational content of level II neonatal cares was developed and presented on Namad System of the virtual faculty of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) for two months. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, Fisher’s exact test, chi-square and independent t-test.
Results: The research units were homogeneous in all demographic variables except work experience in the neonatal unit. The respective mean scores and standard deviations of empowerment in the intervention and control groups were 61.57±7.8 and 56.74±6.386 (out of 84) before the intervention and 60.71±7.595 and 63.60±5.6 after the intervention. The results of the independent t-test and paired t-test showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of psychological empowerment of the two groups before the intervention (p=0.006), of the control group before and after the intervention (p≤0.001), and of the intervention group before and after the intervention (p≤0.001).
Conclusion: The results indicated the effectiveness of virtual-based education on nurses’ psychological empowerment in level II neonatal care units. With regard to the benefits of virtual-based education, its application is recommended in continuing education programs for nurses.
Volume 17, Issue 0 (4-2017)
Introduction: Identification of educational needs is an essential step in planning for faculty development. The aim of this study was to identify educational needs of faculty members of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in empowerment programs.
Methods: Depending on required data, both quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed. In the qualitative stage, 10 interviews were held with professors to develop a questionnaire and analyze the responses to research questions. In the quantitative stage, statistical population included all of the faculty members of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2016 (n=726). Sample size was determined at 260 subjects who were selected by stratified random sampling. Data collection tools were interview and a researcher-made questionnaire whose validity and reliability had been confirmed. It was based on a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed at descriptive and inferential levels (independent t-test, correlation, ANOVA, and LSD follow-up test).
Results: Analysis and review of the codes in the qualitative stage yielded 110 codes in four main categories and 10 subcategories. Findings of the quantitative stage showed that faculty members reported educational needs in all areas. In the area of teaching methods and techniques, emotional intelligence-based teaching method (3.79±1.02); in evaluation, online evaluation (3.73±0.96); in research and scientific resources management, design and implementation of secondary research (4.07±0.9); and in the area of familiarity with regulations, familiarity with administrative and faculty regulations (3.46±1.16) had the highest mean scores. Furthermore, a significant difference was found between faculty members’ academic rank and educational needs in the areas of research and scientific resources management and familiarity with regulations (p=0.001).
Conclusion: Considering the educational needs reported by the faculty members in most of the areas, revision of existing educational programs is recommended.
Volume 20, Issue 0 (4-2020)
Introduction: Planning and implementation of effective empowerment programs and using appropriate educational methods are prerequisites for empowering teachers of medical colleges. Identification of their learning styles and presentation of training courses according to them seem to be important. This study endeavored to identify the learning styles of faculty members based on Kolb theory at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2018.
Methods: This was descriptive-cross sectional research. The population was 138 teachers of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences that were teaching during the 2018-2019 and were included in level one of empowerment course for educational intents. Based on the universal sampling, the population was selected as the sample. The data collection instrument was Kolb's learning style inventory V.3.1. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis statistical tests.
Results: The participation rate of teachers were 77.5%. The teachers' learning styles in order of their prevalence included: 58 assimilating (59.8%), 27 converging (27.8%), 9 diverging (9.3%), 3 accommodating (3.1%). It is not found any significant relationship between dominant learning styles (assimilating and converging) and demographic variables. There was no significant difference between learning styles in basic and clinical teachers as well.
Conclusion: Due to the dominant learning style, it is suggested that in empowerment courses, more lecture teaching methods, visual methods and self-study methods with reading materials be used. It should be taken into account that there will be different learning styles in the courses, each of which requires a specific teaching method. Due to the multiplicity of learning styles, various teaching methods need to be employed.
Volume 22, Issue 0 (4-2022)
Introduction: Seeing as the active participation of faculty members in the development of world science depends highly on their language knowledge, the Deputy of Education of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences with the approach of developing academic interactions has implemented wide range of language instruction programs. This study endeavored to determine the views of faculty members on the English language instruction program, measuring the level of learning and examining opportunities and challenges through evaluation based on the Kirk Patrick model.
Methods: The population of this cross-sectional descriptive study consisted of faculty members participating in English language instruction classes in the academic year 2020, who were included in the study by census during three semesters (72 individuals). The instrumentation was a questionnaire developed by the researchers to examine the views of the respondents, with authenticated validity and reliability. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and average comparison tests, Pearson, Spearman, and Paired t-test.
Results: Sixty-five questionnaires were analyzed. The average final score of the questionnaire is 87.94 out of 130. Suitability and useability of the course, interest in participating in subsequent program and recommending to other colleagues, and the importance of persuading the lecturer to learn English from the opportunities of the program and intensive and stressful course and interference with professors' classes or not having the opportunity to do homework It can be considered as one of the challenges of the course Besides, the scores evaluated by teacher after the English language instruction program led to significantly higher scores, which in turn indicated the applicability of the program.
Conclusion: Faculty members had a high score of the language instruction program and the level of learning has increased. Obtaining the findings of this study and examining its opportunities, it is possible to elevate the English language instruction programs and greatly reduce its shortcomings.
Volume 23, Issue 0 (3-2023)
Introduction: Implementation of programs related to the empowerment of faculty members is one of the important channels for creating change and transformation in the higher education system, especially Azad University. Because Azad University, as the main specialized human resource development institution, has played a critical role in achieving sustainable development based on globalization, the necessity of examining the factors affecting the empowerment of academic members in it is undeniable. Therefore, this study endeavors to present the effective components on empowering the faculty members of Islamic Azad University, Qom branch.
Methods: This study was a qualitative grounded theory research. Data gathering was also qualitative database and the population were experts in the field of empowerment in Azad University. The sampling method was purposeful. In-depth and semi-structured interviews were used to collect information. After 15 interviews, theoretical saturation was achieved. Therefore, the selected sample is equal to 15 individuals, the method of data analysis is theoretical coding according to the grounded theory approach.
Results: The findings showed 11 main categories and concepts through open coding. Besides, in the central and selective coding stage, refined categories and effective components on the empowerment of faculty members in Azad University were presented. In the presented model, the causal conditions included personal factors, managerial factors, work-related factors and profession. The context included the categories of changing the organizational environment and changing professional tendencies and intervening factors including environmental changes and legal-developmental platforms. The strategies in the designed model included individual, managerial-organizational strategies and consequences including attitudinal and behavioral consequences.
Conclusion: The results indicated that personal, managerial, and professional factors are effective components on the empowerment of Azad University faculty members. Considering the fact that empowerment is an integral part of today's educational systems and organizations, it is suggested that Azad University also take serious action to implement the empowerment program among its faculty members.
Volume 23, Issue 0 (3-2023)
Introduction: Empowerment has been mostly considered a human resource strategy in recent decades, endeavoring to promote the effectiveness, productivity, and satisfaction of managers. Given the pivotal role of higher education authorities in adopting the rapid transformations in the global landscape, updating their knowledge and skills seems to be indispensable. This study endeavors to develop a professional empowerment model, specifically customized to needs of higher education authorities.
Methods: The present research is applied in terms of its purpose and qualitative grounded theory in terms of its implementation method. It was conducted using Strauss and Corbin's approach. A purposeful sampling method was adopted, and 10 educational directors from universities of medical sciences and Islamic Azad universities were selected as a sample from the population through the snowball technique based on the principle of theoretical saturation. To determine the validity and reliability of the data, the review of the participants and the review of non-participating experts were used.
Results: The findings during the three stages of open, central and selective coding indicate 12 main categories and 50 sub-categories, which in this study in the framework of the paradigm model are as follows: causal factors (organizational and individual factors), the central phenomenon, background factors (insightful leadership, talent management and organizational performance management), intervening factors (organizational and individual limitations, and managerial factors), strategies (educational transformation and empowerment of managers) and consequences (excellence and self-management).
Conclusion: The formulation of a professional empowerment framework for higher education managers across various organizational levels holds immense potential to significantly contribute to the advancement and development of higher education managers nationwide. By embracing this framework, higher education institutions and higher education managers can effectively navigate the complexities of the modern educational landscape and achieve their educational and research goals with greater efficiency and resource optimization.
Volume 24, Issue 0 (5-2024)
Introduction: Given the dynamic and complex nature of universities, the success of higher education institutions in professional development hinges on the quality and appropriateness of their planning, development, as well as the implementation of programs that align with the institution's internal and external contexts. The systems dynamics approach, owing to its flexibility and compatibility with the higher education system, can serve as a valuable tool for optimizing the higher education system. This study endeavors to present a model for professional development of administrators using the systems dynamics approach in higher education.
Methods: This bi-phasic qualitative study is applied in terms of objective and mixed-methods in terms of execution. In the first phase, grounded theory with the Strauss and Corbin approach was employed. In the second phase, given the holistic nature of the study and the emphasis on the interaction between system components, the systems dynamics method was employed, following Sterman's five-stage model. The context of study was medical universities and health services, as well as Islamic Azad Universities. Factors influencing the professional development of higher education administrators were explored through semi-structured interviews with 10 educational administrators. The causal relationships between these factors were determined in five group modeling sessions with stakeholders and experts. Content validity and expert review were used to confirm the reliability and validity of the data.
Results: The simulation results identified 16 causal categories and 31 consequential categories, with some categories serving dual roles. Utilizing the VENSIM software, a professional empowerment model for higher education managers was developed, considering the sequential impact of these categories.
Conclusion: Professional empowerment of higher education managers hinges on the cultivation of managerial, leadership, and individual skills. The skills ushered in fostering creativity and innovation, establishing a motivating environment, embracing meritocracy, enhancing communication, addressing emerging challenges, aligning job roles with individual capabilities, operating under an independent and guiding organizational structure, promoting collective thinking, and securing adequate financial resources.
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