Existential guilt is a deep and multidimensional concept that is correlated with concepts, such as in/authenticity, existential anxiety, decisiveness, and personal and social responsibility. The aim of the present study is to investigate the experience of existential guilt among cancer patients.

The present research was conducted with a qualitative method with a content analysis design. A purposeful sampling method was used to select the participants and the sampling procedure went on until we reached data saturation. Data were obtained using semi-structured interviews with the participants.

From a total of 18 interviews, 94 codes related to existential guilt were obtained. After the analysis, three main concepts were extracted: (1) incompleteness, (2) passivity, and (3) feelings of harm to self and others. Each of these had a number of subcategories.

The participants of the present research were found to experience existential guilt in different ways. The research showed that it is necessary to find the sources of existential guilt in order that effective therapeutic attention can be given cancer patients.

The evidence shows that the need for emergency evacuation in hospitals has arisen. Designing an emergency evacuation decision making tool increases the confidence of hospital managers in the decision made. Therefore, this study was aimed at the development, and the psychometric properties, of the decision-making scale for emergency hospital evacuation in disasters.

This study was done in 2 phases of qualitative study and literature review and designing and psychometric properties of the instrument. After development of the primary item pool, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated. In this regard, face and content validity, internal consistency (Alpha’s Cronbach), reliability (ICC), and stability were assessed.

In the validity stage of the instrument, 4 items were removed. Also, 4 items were modified and 2 items were merged. The number of items was thus decreased to 64. After CVI calculation, 5 items were removed, 4 items were modified, and 2 items were merged. As a result of this, the number of items decreased to 58 items. The scale has good reliability and stability.

It seems that the instrument could be useful in decision-making for emergency hospital evacuation in disasters.

Identification of hospital preparedness challenges against biological events such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is essential to improve dynamics, quality, and business continuity confidence in the health system. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study is to evaluate the challenges of hospital preparedness in biological events.

This study used a qualitative method using content analysis in which 20 health-care managers and experts who are experienced in biological events were selected through purposeful sampling. The data collection was done through semi-structured interviews, which continued until data saturation. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis as well as the Landman and Graneheim Approach.

Six main concepts (training and practice, resource management, safety and health, patient management, risk communication, and laboratory and surveillance) and 14 subconcepts were extracted on hospital preparedness challenges in biological events through analyzing interviews.

The present study indicated that the health system of the country faces many challenges in response to biological events and threats. Moreover, study participants indicated that Iranian hospitals were not prepared for biological events. It is recommended to design preparedness plans of hospitals based on preparedness standards for biological events. In addition, comprehensive measures are required to enhance their capacity to respond to biological emergencies.