Exploration of knowledge, attitudes, and perceived benefits towards nurse managers’ participation in the health policy-making process: a qualitative thematic analysis study

Abstract

Background Participation of nurse managers in policy-making could help policy-makers to propose relevant and effective policies and support other policy actors involved with these processes. Objective This study aimed at exploring the attitudes and perceived benefits of nurse managers’ participation in the health policy-making process. Methods In this descriptive qualitative research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 nurse managers, government officials, and faculty members. Recruitment was based on purposive sampling from different regions across Iran. A thematic analysis was performed in MAXQDA (version 2012). Results After analysis of the qualitative data, four themes and 13 sub-themes emerged. The themes were feelings about nurse managers’ participation, advantages of nurse managers’ participation, problems due to the non-participation of nurse managers, and recommendations for improvement of the policy-making process. Conclusion The outcomes provided new insights into the perceived benefits of and attitudes towards nurse managers’ participation in health policy making in the Iranian setting. It is crucial to strengthen the capacity for nurse managers' participation in health policy making to develop effective healthcare policies.