Nurses' challenges in caring for criminal inmates in hospitals

BackgroundNurses caring for criminal inmates in hospitals face complex challenges that can compromise holistic and ethical care. In Iran, where incarceration rates are high, this issue is pressing, yet insufficiently explored.Research aimThis study aimed to explore the challenges Iranian nurses encounter when caring for criminal inmates transferred from prison to public hospitals.Research designA descriptive qualitative study using content analysis.Participants and research contextA qualitative study was conducted using purposive sampling with maximum variation to recruit 32 clinical nurses from five major departments (Emergency Medicine, Medical-Surgical, Orthopedics, General Surgery, and Operating Room) of general hospitals affiliated with Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected between October 2024 and January 2025 via in-depth, semi-structured interviews, continuing until theoretical saturation was reached. Data analysis was performed concurrently with data collection using the Granheim & Lundman content analysis method.Ethical considerationsEthical approval was granted by the Research Committee of the xxxx (Ethical code: xxx).ResultsThe central theme emerging from the data was "Failure to provide dignified care." It included three categories: "Barriers to creating a therapeutic relationship," "Discrimination in care," and "Lack of training and Inadequate qualification."ConclusionsThe findings of the present study revealed ethical, behavioral, communicative, and competency-related challenges faced by nurses. To address these challenges, a comprehensive approach involving structural, educational, organizational, and cultural interventions is essential. It is imperative that nurses provide non-judgmental and unbiased care, with a fundamental emphasis on respecting patients' humanity.