Introduction: A life-threatening illness can cause the involvement of family members and the imposition of psychological and physical stress on them. Certainly, the family is a very valuable resource in patient care and plays an important role in maintaining the emotional support and patient’s recovery. The aim of this study was to explain the family members’ supporting behaviors of the patient admitted to the cardiac special units. Methods: This qualitative study was performed in the cardiac special units in Isfahan. The number of participants was 20, including 5 nurses, 8 family members, and 7 patients. The data were collected through interview and observation by purposive sampling. Then, the data were analyzed by Graneheim and Lundman’s qualitative content analysis method. The study lasted 12 months. Results: Data analysis showed that family’s support can be classified into three levels, including support by the therapeutic alliance (attempts to console and reassure, restoration of selfesteem, diminishing patient’s insensitivity, commitment to the patient, and visiting the patient ), participatory information (obtaining reliable information from the nurse, active role in providing meaningful information about the patient’s prognosis), practical and instrumental support (searching for economic support resources, providing the patient with the necessary equipment, trying to do the right care taking into account the family culture). Conclusion: Understanding family’s supportive behaviors can help improve counseling and planning for quality care of patients admitted to the cardiac care units (CCUs).

Background: Patients with stroke are dependent on their family to relieve their physical and emotional needs after discharge from the hospital. The family plays an important role in caring for them, which is a stressful task for the caregivers. Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the experiences of caregivers of patients with stroke. Methods: This is a qualitative study (descriptive phenomenology), in which the participants included seven caregivers of stroke patients. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed based on Colaizzi. Results: The results in the study were summarized in three main categories: anxiety (tension and stress, concern about economic future), care consequences (fatigue, reduced family interactions), and neglected needs (psychological needs, educational needs). Conclusions: According to the purpose of the study and its implications, it is concluded that nurses and physicians should pay more attention to the needs and concerns of patients and their caregivers and try to resolve them with regard to the consequences of the disease.

BACKGROUND: The mental health of health-care workers with their unique role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic is strictly essential. Hence, to react effectively to the pandemic, it is essential to collect further data on the stressors and adaptation strategies. The aim of this study is to explain the health-care workers' experiences of stressors and adaptation strategies used during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative content analysis approach was employed in this study, with semi-structured in-depth interviews. Nineteen health-care workers participated in the study by purposeful sampling method. The study setting included selective educational hospitals that admitting patients infected with COVID-19. The data were analyzed using content analysis method. RESULTS: Stressors were classified under four major categories: idiopathic, i.e., arising from unknown causes, individual and familial, stressful work environment, and socially imposed stressors. The adaptation strategies were classified under inactive and active adaptation strategies. CONCLUSIONS: The stressors include the stresses arising from the unknown nature of the disease, stressful work environment, individual and familial stresses, and the socially imposed stresses. The adaptation strategies include inactive and active adaptation strategies. Identification of these factors can help workers and management to effectively react to the pandemic.