Exploring patients and family members' experiences of care in the emergency department.

Background Patient experience and satisfaction are often used to evaluate the quality of care provided in emergency departments (EDs). Several studies have evaluated the experiences of patients and their family members in EDs internationally, but few studies have investigated the experiences of those attending EDs in Iran. Aim To investigate patients and family members' experiences of care in one ED in Iran. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 patients and ten family members in one ED in Tehran, Iran. A qualitative content analysis approach was used to analyse the data. Findings Three themes emerged from the data: quality of nursing care; satisfaction with medical care and waiting times; and adequate diagnostic testing and equipment. Participants reported several issues in relation to the care provided in the ED, including a lack of attention from nursing staff, long waiting times, delays in symptom management, and family members' involvement in care to compensate for high staff workload and overcrowding. Conclusion The findings of this study demonstrate that the most important determinants of patients and family members' experiences in EDs are the quality of nursing and medical care, the length of waiting times, and adequate diagnostic testing and equipment. While it may be beneficial to involve family members in patient care, regular communication with them is essential to explain challenging situations that may affect the quality of ED care, such as low staff levels.