Abstract

BACKGROUND: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a major public health problem and the most important cause of disability, morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early rehabilitation can play a significant role in minimizing complications, morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe perceptions of barriers precluding provision of early rehabilitation care for RTI victims. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A qualitative content analysis was carried out on 15 nurses with at least one year experience caring for RTI victims. The nurses were selected from various wards (emergency, orthopedic, neurosurgery, and clinic) of Sina and Imam Khomeini Hospitals via targeted sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and targeted sampling until data saturation. Data were analyzed and assessed. RESULTS: After continuous analysis and comparison of data, major causes precluding nurses from early rehabilitation of RTI patients were retrieved. These barriers included: (a) lack of insight, (b) lack of comprehensive care (c) excessive costs; facilitating factors included (d) training for cooperation and (e) support for coping. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study show that the need for early rehabilitation in the hospital phase of care for RTI victims is needed. Knowledge about the barriers precluding nurses from early rehabiltiation of RTI patients and facilitators that can help health care workers and policy makers eliminate the barriers precluding early rehabilitation can help health care workers, especially nurses enable patients get over their disability and gain social and family support.