Comparative Study of the Performance Appraisal Systems for Academic Members’ Performance Appraisal Systems in the Various Universities in around the World According to the Diagnostic Model: A Qualitative Research

Background & Objective: Reviewing the kinds of performance evaluation systems for academic members applying by different universities is one of the most important approaches to develop one. Therefore, as part of a broader research aimed to provide a performance evaluation model, we attempted to compare the performance evaluation systems of some universities around the world. Methods: This study was performed through a qualitative content analysis method with the theoretical approach based on the Performance Appraisal Diagnostic Model (Wolf, 2003). The study population included all universities of the five continents. The universities that had their performance evaluation systems in English in their websites were chosen as sample group. A search was also conducted with the determined keywords through the search engines. The faculty performance evaluation systems of 19 universities were chosen from the continents: America (10), Europe (3), Oceania (2), Africa (3) and Asia (one in Turkey). Results: The philosophies of all the reviewed performance evaluation systems were performance recognition, continuous development, identifying performance barriers and individual development needs. These systems were related to the systems of payment, compensation, recruiting, and performance development. The effectiveness of a faculty member was characterized by his/her performance indicators in line with the mission of organization in education, scholarship, and clerical area. There was a combination of the trait-, behavior- and result-based systems with different weights according to organizational and professional positions. The quantitative and qualitative data were gathered by different measures from multiple sources. Conclusion: Considering the findings, the reviewed performance evaluation systems for academic members have important issues according to the Wolf’s diagnostic model. Keywords Performance Appraisal Faculty member Qualitative stud

Change Management Challenges in Nursing and Midwifery Schools: A qualitative study of managerial experiences

The purpose of this study was to explain the situation and perspectives of managers regarding change in nursing and midwifery faculties. This study was conducted according to a qualitative approach; in fact, a descriptive exploratory approach was applied with triangulation. Snow ball sampling was used in this study. The subjects were faculty members of the nursing schools in Tehran, and the inclusion criteria included at least 1year of experience as a faculty member. In the qualitative phase, no variables were measured. Data were gathered by semi-structured interviews in which a guide and field notes were used. Data were considered to be saturated after observing the repetition of codes. Qualitative conventional content analysis was used for data analysis. Trustworthiness was achieved by prolonged field experience, member check, peer check and sharing the content with two experts in qualitative research. Ten participants (7 females and 3 males) between the ages of 38 and 54 were interviewed. Two of them had Master's degrees, and eight had PhD degrees in nursing; only three of them were in high-level management of their faculties. After the interviews, conceptual codes were extracted, and a few uggested themes were classified, including challenges in change management, such as field of concentration in management, managers' characteristics and attitudes toward change. Accordingly, the concept of change management was postulated as the purpose of this study; furthermore, its influencing factors were identified. The implication of the study is that it may be used in nursing and midwifery faculties as a model for organizational culture. Imposing change in an educational organization without having a proper model of change management will facilitate the achievement of the desired change outcome. Khachian A, Manoochehri H, Pazargadi M, Esmaeili Vardanjani SA. Change Management Challenges in Nursing and Midwifery Schools: A qualitative study of managerial experiences. Life Sci J 2012;9(3);2265-2269] (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 40

Investigation of the relationship between structural empowerment and organizational commitment of nurses in Zanjan hospitals

Background: The demanding nature of nursing work environments signals longstanding and growing concerns about nurses' health and job satisfaction and the provision of quality care. Specifically in health care settings, nurse leaders play an essential role in creating supportive work environments to avert these negative trends and increase nurse job satisfaction.Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between structural empowerment and organizational commitment of nurses.Methods: 491 nurses working in Zanjan hospitals participated in this descriptive-correlational study in 2010. Tools for data collection were Meyer and Allen’s organizational commitment questionnaire and “Conditions for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II” (CWEQ-II). Data was analyzed by SPSS16. The statistical tests such as variance analysis, t-test, pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression were used for data analysis.Results: According to the findings, the perception of nurses working in hospitals on "Structural Empowerment" was moderate (15.98±3.29). Nurses believed "opportunity" as the most important element in structural empowerment with the score of 3.18 ±0.79. Nurses working in non-academic hospitals and in non-teaching hospitals had higher organizational commitment than others. There was a significant relationship between structural empowerment and organizational commitment.Conclusion: Generally, structural empowerment (relatively strong) correlates with nurses’ organizational commitment. We concluded that a high structural empowerment increases the organizational commitment of nurses.Keywords: Structural empowerment, organizational commitment, nurses, Zanja

Investigation of the relationship between structural empowerment and organizational commitment of nurses in Zanjan hospitals.

Background: The demanding nature of nursing work environments signals longstanding and growing concerns about nurses' health and job satisfaction and the provision of quality care. Specifically in health care settings, nurse leaders play an essential role in creating supportive work environments to avert these negative trends and increase nurse job satisfaction. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between structural empowerment and organizational commitment of nurses. Methods: 491 nurses working in Zanjan hospitals participated in this descriptive-correlational study in 2010. Tools for data collection were Meyer and Allen\u2019s organizational commitment questionnaire and \u201cConditions for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II\u201d (CWEQ-II). Data was analyzed by SPSS16. The statistical tests such as variance analysis, t-test, pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression were used for data analysis. Results: According to the findings, the perception of nurses working in hospitals on "Structural Empowerment" was moderate (15.98\ub13.29). Nurses believed "opportunity" as the most important element in structural empowerment with the score of 3.18\ub10.79. Nurses working in non-academic hospitals and in non-teaching hospitals had higher organizational commitment than others. There was a significant relationship between structural empowerment and organizational commitment. Conclusion: Generally, structural empowerment (relatively strong) correlates with nurses\u2019 organizational commitment. We concluded that a high structural empowerment increases the organizational commitment of nurses

Nursing Students` Viewpoints on Challenges of Student Assessment in Clinical Settings: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Student assessment in clinical settings is an important subject in nursing education. Reviewing students’ clinical skills, some problems put forward which manifest in students` complaints and frequent meetings between them and their instructors to discuss these problems. Despite some efforts in this area, it is still a major challenge for nursing students. In this regard, nursing students as evaluatees are important sources to identify these challenges. The aim of this study is to determine nursing students` viewpoints toward their clinical evaluation challenges. Methods: This is a descriptive qualitative study performed in year 2010 on a population of students of 4th to 8th semesters who were selected from three major Medical Universities in Tehran. Purposeful sampling method was used for the study and focus group sessions were held for data gathering which was continued to the point of data saturation. Totally 40 students participated in 6 focus group discussions. Data was analyzed using latent content analysis. Results: During analysis 4 themes and 10 subthemes were emerged including evaluation performers` issues (instructor’s professional characteristics, self evaluation, and clinic-education relationship), evaluation requisites (instrument’s efficiency, practical evaluation), evaluation process (goal-oriented evaluation, clarity of evaluation method, evaluation time and type), and emotional environment in evaluation (relationships, self esteem). Conclusion: The results showed numerous challenges which nursing students are confronted while being evaluated clinically. Individuals who play role in evaluation, employed strategies, the evaluation process, and the psychological atmospehere of evaluation were issues emphasized by students as the factors affecting clinical evaluation. It seems that process of assessing nursing students to assure their achievement of clinical learning objectives needs an overall revision. This would facilitate the accomplishment of students into efficiency, skillfulness, and certainty in providing health care for patients

Requirements for Effective Evaluation in Nursing Education: a Qualitative Study

Introduction: There are many studies about evaluation in nursing education and its problems in Iran, but no study has been reported on the requirements for effective evaluation. This study aimed to explore academic managers' perceptions about requirements for effective evaluation in nursing education in Iran. Methods: This qualitative study was performed in year 2010. Semistructured individual interviews were arranged for 21 academic nursing managers and experts. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcriptions were analyzed using content analysis method. Results: Requirements for effective evaluation emerged in three categories and each category included some themes: input issues (infrastructure requirements, consideration of appropriate evaluation policies and approaches, revision of evaluation tools, consideration of students admission criteria, continuous assessment of students, teachers’ competence, comprehensive evaluation of curricula) process issues (standardization of objectives, revision of evaluation tools, establishment of follow-up committees, improvement of evaluators’ conditions, consideration of stakeholders’ expectations, and improvement in evaluation of theoretical and clinical training), and output issues (effective evaluation of students’ academic achievement, maintaining contact with alumni, alumni competence, continuing education for alumni, academic progress of alumni, awareness of occupational situation, work licensure, and graduates’ impact on society). Conclusion: There are numerous requirements for making nursing evaluations effective. Providing these requirements in the three categories of educational inputs, processes and outputs may improve the effectiveness of current evaluations.Also further studies are essential to design an efficient evaluation system for nursing education

The Correlation of Head Nurses’ Time Management with Nurses’ Job Satisfaction in Medical & Surgical Wards of Hospitals in Arak Medical Sciences University

AbstractIntroduction:Control of time and prevention from wasting time can improve the ability of managing, retaining human resources, decreasing stress and increasing job satisfaction among personnel. Lack of time management in nursing profession may have effect on quality of care and declining efficiency and productivity which lead to feeling burnout and job dissatisfaction in nurses. The aim of this research is to determine the correlation of the head nurses’ time management behaviors with nurses’ job satisfaction.Materials and methods:This research is a descriptive – correlation study. In this research head nurses and nurses who have had inclusion criteria and were employed in medical & surgical wards of hospitals in Arak Medical Sciences University participated by census method. For data collection, two questionnaires about time management and job satisfaction have been designed according to research goals. Their validity were measured by face and content validity (time management: CVI= and job satisfaction: CVI= ) and their reliability by Kronbach - Alpha coefficient ( . and . ). Analyzing data has performed by SPSS software, version .Results:Analysis of data showed that there was not any correlation between time management behaviors of head nurses (from their view) with nurses’ job satisfaction(r = . , p > . ). But the correlation of time management behaviors of head nurses )from nurses’ view( with job satisfaction of nurses was significant (r= . , p< . ).Conclusion:The findings of this research reveal the importance of using time management skills by the nurse managers as a step to improve nursing effectiveness and nurse’ job satisfaction.Keywords: Time Management, Job Satisfaction, Nurs

Designing Accreditation Model for Curricula of Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Education in Iran

Introduction: Nowadays, the universities need to have an accurate understanding of their present situation and the institution’s curriculum. Academic Accreditation responds to this need. Therefore, this study has been done to design an accreditation model for curricula of baccalaureate degree nursing education in Iran’s universities of medical sciences. Methods: This study, in terms of aim, is a practical study. Its methodology is descriptive - surveying type. In the first step, a manmade questionnaire was used in order to determine elements, criteria and indicators. In the second step, after presenting proposed model, a two-phased Delphi technique was used in order to determine the desirability of mentioned model and its localization. The statistical sample of this study includes 93 faculty members of nursing groups in nursing and midwifery schools of medical sciences universities in Tehran who were selected through proportional stratified random sampling and also in qualitative section, 38 curriculum and nursing experts were selected through a purposeful sampling. In order to determine the weight of Curriculum accreditation’s elements, a weighted average was used. Results: in the first step, 9 elements, 39 Criteria and 143 indicators was determined for accreditation curricula of baccalaureate degree nursing education. After that, according to the international experiences and current situations in Iran, the proposed model was developed and localized. Conclusion: The features of the model which is developed in this study include: practicality and applicability, being native and benefit from common aspects of the international experiences about the accreditation processes of baccalaureate degree nursing education

Basic requirements for implementation of total quality management in Centers of Emergency Medical Services in Iran according EFQM model

Basic requirements for implementation of total quality management in Centers of Emergency Medical Services in Iran according EFQM model Abedsaeedi, Z1. (PhD); Mozafari,M2.*((PhD); Pazargadi,M.3 (PhD);  Alavi majd, H.4 (PhD) 1. Assistant Professor, Dept of Medical Surgical, Faculty of  Nursing & Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran2. PhD Student, Dept of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Lecturer, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran 3. Associate Professor, Dept. of Management, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran4. Associate Professor, Dept. of Biostatistics. Faculty of Paramedicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran AbstractBackground and aimSuccessful implementation of TQM requires a committed leadership, customer – based approaches, process management, efficient communication, knowledge management, empowerment and involvement of staff and an organizational culture for continuous quality improvement. The aim of this study was to assess basic requirements for implementation TQM in Centers of Emergency Medical Services in Iran according EFQM model. Materials and methodsIn this descriptive study, all of operational and official stations of Medical Emergency services  in Ilam, Bushehr, Mazandaran, Ardebil, West Azerbaijan and Yazd province, one half of operational stations in city of Tehran, Sistan–Baluchestan, Khorasan-razavi and Isfahan, were included. All senior managers  and personnel of these centers  and a random sample   of 3246 customers who have  received  care during the last 6 months were selected. By using a 189 –item’s rating scale and 4 questionnaires; leadership style, job and patients satisfaction and state of organizational empowering, according to 5 enabler criteria, from  EFQM  model was assessed. Validity of instruments by measuring content validity and reliability by internal consistency and test-retest confirmed. Descriptive and inferential statistics used for analyzing data. Findings The overall mean score was 168.4±34.6 out of 500; therefore, the selected divisions were labeled as drifters organizations which were in early stage of quality improvement road. In comparison, the Tehran, Isfahan and Khorasan-razavi centers with more score labeled as improver’s organizations. At the entire, leadership criterion obtained minimum (26.6%) and people criterion obtained maximum (39%) mean scores. ConclusionResults showed that enabler criteria of the EMS centers in Iran need to reinforcement. It is essential enhancing the knowledge and attitude of managers and personnel about quality improvement principles. Additionally, establishing the management by process, creating customer focused approach and culture of continuous improvement, empowering employees and constituting quality circles are appropriate interventions that should be considered Keywords: European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), Total Quality Management (TQM), Center for Management of Accidents and Emergencies, Emergency System, Enabler criteria. *Corresponding Author: Mosayeb, Mozafari. Dept of Nursing. Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran, Banganjab. E-mail: [email protected] 

Designing indicators for evaluation of Nursing education:A qualitative study

Abstract Background and aim: Nursing education as a part of higher education has been expanding very rapidly in recent decades in the world. This situation caused to increase concern about quality of nursing education. This study aimed to identify indicators of evaluation in nursing education.Materials and methods: This research is a qualitative study, with content analysis approach which was done in three stages. In the first stage, semi-structured interview was done with 21 members of Nursing board, Deans, Deputies and evaluation committee's members in Nursing and Midwifery schools of type No.1 in Iran. Texts of interviews were analyzed through content analysis method and their understanding of evaluation of nursing education was determined. In the second stage, seven forms in the field of evaluation in nursing education at nursing schools and ministry of health have been collected and were studied by using content analysis method. In the third stage, by using comparative study and searched in databases of international nursing associations and scientific in the field of evaluation of nursing education, 11 forms available on the evaluation and accreditation in nursing education were identified and then, by using content analysis methods were studied. Domains and indicators of evaluation were extracted.Results: In the first phase, 16 themes related to evaluation’s challenges and 21 themes related to requirements in effective evaluation in nursing education were identified. In second phase, evaluation’s domains and indicators in documents and evaluation forms in Iran were identified and extracted. In third phase, evaluation’s domains and indicators in documents and evaluation forms at the level of international scientific associations and education were identified and extracted. Domains and indicators in the second stage were chosen as the base framework and then third stage findings were gradually added to it. Finally, after considering the challenges and requirements of evaluation, findings of research in three areas including of input, process and output, 9 domains and 141 indicators were classified and developed.Conclusion: Dynamic educational system requires the dynamic method evaluation. As in this study the indicators of evaluation were revised, these indicators can be used in internal evaluation, external evaluation, ranking and accreditation of nursing schools and nursing educational systems.Keywords: Evaluation Indexes; Nursing Education; Qualitative nursing research