Iraqi Nurses' Perspectives on Safety Issues in Maternity Services

Area of Science:

• Maternal and Neonatal Health
• Healthcare Quality and Safety
• Nursing Perspectives

Background:

• Maternal and neonatal safety are critical public health challenges, especially in low-income nations.
• Research on maternity hospital safety in Iraq is limited.
• This study is the first to explore nurses' views on safety in Kurdistan, Iraq.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe nurses' perspectives on safe maternity services in Kurdistan, Iraq.
• To identify key factors influencing the quality of maternity care from a nursing standpoint.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis design.
• Purposive sampling of 10 nurses from maternity delivery rooms in Kurdistan, Iraq.
• Semi-structured interviews, audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed for data saturation.

Main Results:

• Six major themes emerged: stressful work environment, lack of defined schedules/job descriptions, care provision with scarce resources, professional unaccountability, regional sociopolitical influences, and insufficient training.
• Nurses highlighted resource limitations, unclear roles, and accountability issues as primary safety concerns.

Conclusions:

• Limited health resources, undefined job descriptions, and professional unaccountability are significant safety issues in Iraqi maternity services.
• Improving care for mothers and neonates requires coordinated efforts by health authorities.
• Recommendations include enhancing midwifery facilities, providing quality staff training, and strengthening the healthcare system.