Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore factors influencing family members' experience of waiting for patients' surgery. Design: A qualitative design using content analysis approach was used. Methods: The study took place at a university medical center hospital in an urban area of Iran. After using a purposive sampling method for the selection of participants, semistructured interviews and field notes were held for data collection. Findings: The experience of 16 Iranian family members who were waiting for their patient's surgery to be finished was analyzed. Data analysis led to the development of three main themes: "family member-related factors,'' "patient-related factors,'' and "organization-related factors.'' Conclusions: The results revealed some factors in real context that can help health care professionals, especially nurses, to get a better understanding of the situation and improve quality of care. In addition, understanding these factors will contribute to the body of knowledge in nursing.