The financial transaction between counseling and nursing care service centers (CNCSCs) and their clients: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Community-oriented nursing care is an important model of nursing care. Counseling and Nursing Care Service Centers (CNCSCs) have been providing these private services to the Iranian community for nearly two decades. Resource management, cost-benefit analysis and affordability are important steps in providing these services. The present study was conducted to explore the challenges of financial transactions between CNCSCs and their clients. METHODS: This study has a qualitative design and was conducted on a total of 30 participants, consisting of CNCSC managers, staff, physicians and clients who were selected through purposive theoretical sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and direct observations and were analyzed using conventional qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The analysis of the data led to the extraction of three main categories, including the flaunted atmosphere due to direct financial transaction, instability in determining tariffs for nursing services and the use of strategies for cost-effective services and client satisfaction. CONCLUSION: To increase affordability and satisfaction and expand private community-based nursing. Services, appropriate financial policies should be designed and applied that can lead to transparent and simple financial transactions with the clients by way of indirect monetary exchanges. These policies should be designed in a systematic manner with integrity, facilitate inter-sectorial cooperation in the health sector and be cost-effective for the clients, insurance companies and the health system. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-018-2934-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.