Challenges of postgraduate emergency nursing program in Iran: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Some nursing schools in Iran with the aim of training qualified nurses have set up master's degrees in emergency nursing. In any case, there are challenges in the implementation of this discipline in academic nursing centers which prevent the fulfillment of goals and missions in the curriculum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this qualitative study, four graduates of the master of emergency nursing and 13 undergraduate students were purposively recruited from the Nursing and Midwifery Faculty in Qom, Iran. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed through conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Emergency nursing master's program challenges consist of two categories: nonproductive course design and unresolved infrastructure. The extracted subcategories were unfit curriculum, inappropriate content, nonspecialized program, unclear roles, improper course planning, unskilled human resources, and poor educational facilities. CONCLUSION: Based on the experiences of nursing graduates, the curriculum of master of emergency nursing in Iran needs to be substantially revised in terms of content and structure.