Khan Afsha, Muhammad Dildar, Naz Najma, Khanum Sabiha, Khan Awal
Institute of Nursing Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar 25100, Pakistan.
Medical Teaching Institution, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar 25110, Pakistan.
Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Jul 29;13(15):1842. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13151842.
Emotional safety is increasingly recognized as crucial for high-quality patient care, encompassing a patient's sense of security, courteous treatment, being heard, and a peaceful environment. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of patients and providers (doctors and nurses) regarding emotional harm and safety in relation to hospitalized patients. We conducted a qualitative study in public-sector teaching hospitals in Peshawar, Pakistan. Data were collected after we obtained informed consent using individual interviews with 15 providers, namely, doctors (n = 7) and nurses (n = 8), and five focus group discussions (FGDs) with 25 hospitalized patients. Data from both the interviews and FGDs were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase approach to thematic analysis. The key themes revealed by the providers' perspectives were factors contributing to emotional harm, staff-related factors, coping mechanisms and solutions, and the impact of prior experiences and involvement. The main themes that emerged from the patients' perspectives were anxiety upon admission, the impact of communication, emotional stress due to treatment delays, systemic/bureaucratic challenges, financial burden, a lack of emotional support, and post-hospitalization concerns. The consistent perspectives shared by both patients and providers included the impact of systemic factors, communication issues, the role of staff attitude/behavior, financial concerns, and the influence of prior experiences. This study highlights the complex interplay of systemic, staff-related, and patient-specific factors. It suggests a need to improve communication, staff support, administrative processes, financial counseling, emotional support integration, and discharge planning to minimize harm and create a patient-centered environment.
情感安全对于高质量的患者护理日益被视为至关重要，它涵盖患者的安全感、礼貌对待、被倾听以及宁静的环境。本研究的目的是探讨患者和医护人员（医生和护士）对住院患者情感伤害和安全的看法。我们在巴基斯坦白沙瓦的公立教学医院进行了一项定性研究。在获得知情同意后，通过对15名医护人员（7名医生和8名护士）进行个人访谈以及与25名住院患者进行五次焦点小组讨论来收集数据。使用布劳恩和克拉克的六阶段主题分析法对访谈和焦点小组讨论的数据进行分析。从医护人员的角度揭示的关键主题是导致情感伤害的因素、与工作人员相关的因素、应对机制和解决方案以及既往经历和参与的影响。从患者的角度出现的主要主题是入院时的焦虑、沟通的影响、治疗延迟导致的情感压力、系统/官僚主义挑战、经济负担、缺乏情感支持以及出院后担忧。患者和医护人员共同持有的一致观点包括系统因素的影响、沟通问题、工作人员态度/行为的作用、经济担忧以及既往经历的影响。本研究突出了系统、与工作人员相关和患者特定因素之间复杂的相互作用。它表明需要改善沟通、工作人员支持、行政流程、经济咨询、情感支持整合以及出院计划，以尽量减少伤害并营造以患者为中心的环境。
