Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Health Services Research
Published in: BMC Health Services Research 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Care | Research article

Conceptual model of managing health care volunteers in disasters: a mixed method study

Authors: Ibrahim Salmani, Hesam Seyedin, Ali Ardalan, Tahmineh Farajkhoda

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2019

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Shortage of specialized healthcare volunteers is a major challenge during disasters and one solution could be pre-identified healthcare volunteers. This study aimed to develop a conceptual model of managing Iranian healthcare volunteers in disasters.

Methods

This mixed method study was designed in two phases. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with 22 health professionals and key informant. The interviews were analyzed by framework analysis. In the second phase, concepts derived from the first step were evaluated in a two round Delphi study by an expert panel comprised of 42 experts.

Results

Two themes and eight subthemes were identified based on the results of the first phase. The theme of background requirements included three sub-themes of laws and regulations, NGOs and socio-cultural factors. The second theme was called operational requirements which included six subthemes of preparedness, response, retention, relocation, terminating and follow-up. According to the results of the Delphi study, all of the concepts were confirmed.

Conclusion

In addition to the need for supportive legal framework and building the culture of volunteering, it seems it is crucial to identify and prepare the health care volunteers in the preparedness phase and assign them appropriately in the response phase. Furthermore, the necessary measures should be prioritized to enhance volunteers’ retention rate and motivation. Plans should also be implemented for volunteers’ termination and volunteers’ physical and mental health follow up after their mission.
Literature
1.
Organization WH. Everybody’s business: strengthening health systems to improve health outcomes: WHO’s framework for action, vol. 2007. Geneva: WHO; 2007.
2.
Khankeh H, Mohammadi R, Ahmadi F. Health care services at time of natural disasters: a qualitative study. Iran J Nurs. 2007;20(51):85–96.
3.
Ardalan A, Mowafi H, Khoshsabeghe HY. Impacts of natural hazards on primary health care facilities of Iran: a 10-year retrospective survey. PLoS Curr. 2013;5.
4.
Seyedin H, Ryan J, Sedghi S. Lessons learnt from the past and preparedness for the future: how a developing country copes with major incidents. Emerg Med J. 2011;28(10):887–91.CrossRef
5.
Bayntun C, Rockenschaub G, Murray V. Developing a health system approach to disaster management: a qualitative analysis of the core literature to complement the WHO toolkit for assessing health-system capacity for crisis management. PLoS Curr. 2012;4:e5028b6037259a.PubMedPubMedCentral
6.
American Hospital Association. Emergency system for advanced registration of volunteer health care personnel. Washington: Services DoHaH; 2005.
7.
Fiedrich F, Gehbauer F, Rickers U. Optimized resource allocation for emergency response after earthquake disasters. Saf Sci. 2000;35(1–3):41–57.CrossRef
8.
Bakhtiari A. Country report :the Islamic Republic of Iran on disaster risk management. Kobe: Iranian National Disaster Management Organization; 2014.
9.
Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters. The international disasters database Brussels, Belgium: EM-DAT: OFDA/ CRED. Université catholique de Louvain.; 2018 [cited 2018 16 July 2018]. Available from: https://​www.​emdat.​be/​.
10.
Ardalan A, Masoumi G, Gouya MM, Ghafari M, Miadfar J, Sarvar M, et al. Disaster health management: Iran’s progress and challenges. Iran J Public Health. 2009;38(1):93–7.
11.
Jahangiri K, Seddighi J, Hedayati P. Community participation in confronting natural disasters in Sistan va Baluchestan, Iran: A situational analysis. Payesh. 2013;13(1):101–6.
12.
Aminizadeh M, Eslamishahr Babaki M, Beyramijam M, Aminizadeh M, Sheikhbardsiri H. Prioritizing motivational and satisfactorily factors of volunteer medical and health personnel in natural disasters. Health Emerg Disasters Q. 2016;1(2):79–88.
13.
UNISDR. Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030. Geneva: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction; 2015.
14.
Peterson C. Be safe, be prepared: emergency system for advance registration of volunteer health professionals in disaster response. Online J Issues Nurs. 2006;11(3):3.PubMed
15.
16.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Volunteering in emergencies; practical guidelines for red cross and red crescent societies managing volunteers in emergency situations. Geneva: IRFC; 2012. [19 Jan 2019]
17.
18.
Abplanalp P. Voluntary service; volunteer management cycle. Int Rev Red Cross Arch. 1994;34(300):302–4.CrossRef
19.
Fulmer T, Portelli I, Foltin GL, Zimmerman R, Chachkes E, Goldfrank LR. Organization-based incident management: developing a disaster volunteer role on a university campus. Disaster Manage Response. 2007;5(3):74–81.CrossRef
20.
Boyce VM. A Systematic Approach to Leadership Development. ERIC document reproduction service no ED 065-763. Washington DC; 1971.
21.
Connors TD. The volunteer management handbook: leadership strategies for success. 2nd ed. California: Wiley; 2011.
22.
Sauer LM, Catlett C, Tosatto R, Kirsch TD. The utility of and risks associated with the use of spontaneous volunteers in disaster response: a survey. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2014;8(1):65–9.CrossRef
23.
Ivankova NV, Creswell JW, Stick SL. Using mixed-methods sequential explanatory design: from theory to practice. Field Methods. 2006;18(1):3–20.CrossRef
24.
Gale NK, Heath G, Cameron E, Rashid S, Redwood S. Using the framework method for the analysis of qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health research. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2013;13:117.CrossRef
25.
Guba EG, Lincoln YS. Paradigmatic Controversies, Contradictions, and Emerging Confluences. In: Lincoln NKDYS, editor. The Sage handbook of qualitative research, 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd; 2005. p. 191–215.
26.
Creswell JW, Clark VLP. Designing and conducting mixed methods research; 2007.
27.
Hsu C-C, Sandford BA. The Delphi technique: making sense of consensus. Pract Assessment Res Eval. 2007;12:10):1–8.
28.
Jalali M, Hejazi Y, Rezvanfar A, Pourtaheri M. Analysis of the challenges faced by environmental non-governmental organizations in Kurdistan province of Iran. Roosta Va Towse'e. 2015;18(3):85–107.
29.
Malek Mohammadi I, Mirbod M. The role of environmental non-governmental organizations in natural resources management extension (case study in Iran). Am J Environ Sci. 2005;1(3):221–9.CrossRef
30.
31.
Bjerneld M, Lindmark G, McSpadden LA, Garrett MJ. Motivations, concerns, and expectations of Scandinavian health professionals volunteering for humanitarian assignments. Disaster Manage Response. 2006;4(2):49–58.CrossRef
32.
Bahadori M, Khankeh HR, Zaboli R, Ravangard R, Malmir I. Barriers to and facilitators of inter-organizational coordination in response to disasters: a grounded theory approach. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2017;11(3):318–25.CrossRef
33.
Ferreira M, Proenca JF, Proenca T. Motivations and management factors of volunteer work in nonprofit organizations: a literature review. Washington: Academic Public Administration Studies Archive - APAS; 2010.
34.
Finkelstein MA, Penner LA, Brannick MT. Motive, role identity, and prosocial personality as predictors of volunteer activity. Soc Behav Pers. 2005;33(4):403–18.CrossRef
35.
Pafford B. So nigh is grandeur: volunteerism and disaster preparedness and response. South Med J. 2013;106(1):4–6.CrossRef
36.
Aminizade M, Nekouei Moghaddam M, Birami Jam M, Shamsi M, Majidi N, Amanat N, et al. The role of volunteer citizens in response to accidents and disasters. Health Emerg Disasters Q. 2017;2(3):107–24.CrossRef
37.
Powell BJ, Penick EC. Psychological distress following a natural disaster: a one-year follow-up of 98 flood victims. J Commun Psychol. 1983;11(3):269–76.CrossRef
38.
Yuen HK, Huang P, Burik JK, Smith TG. Impact of participating in volunteer activities for residents living in long-term-care facilities. Am J Occup Ther. 2008;62(1):71–6.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Conceptual model of managing health care volunteers in disasters: a mixed method study
Authors
Ibrahim Salmani
Hesam Seyedin
Ali Ardalan
Tahmineh Farajkhoda
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keyword
Care
Published in
BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4073-6

Other articles of this Issue 1/2019

BMC Health Services Research 1/2019 Go to the issue

Research article

Effect of single follow-up home visit on readmission in a group of frail elderly patients – a Danish randomized clinical trial

Research article

Understanding how, why, for whom, and under what circumstances opt-out blood-borne virus testing programmes work to increase test engagement and uptake within prison: a rapid-realist review

Research article

Satisfaction with use of public health and peer-led facilities for HIV prevention services by key populations in Nigeria

Research article

Learning, understanding and the use of information technology: a survey study among primary care physician trainees

Research article

Utilization and medical costs of outpatient rehabilitation among children with autism spectrum conditions in Taiwan

Research article

Transforming community nursing services in the UK; lessons from a participatory evaluation of the implementation of a new community nursing model in East London based on the principles of the Dutch Buurtzorg model