A Qualitative Study on the Development of Socially Responsive Nurses: A Conceptual Model Based on Faculty Members and Student Perspectives Publisher Pubmed



Behmaneshpour F ; Dehghani A ; Banazadeh M ; Eskandari Z
Source: BMC Medical Education Published:2026

Abstract

Background: One of the approaches that has attracted the attention of planners in recent years in order to create a link between the learning of university graduates and the needs of society is the responsive education approach. It is clear that social accountability is not a spontaneous process; there is a need for planned education of students during their academic years and their active participation in social accountability programs. This qualitative study to aimed identify the barriers and facilitators affecting nursing students participation in social accountability programs and to develop a conceptual model for developing socially responsive nurse. Methods: The present study was a qualitative study with an exploratory inductive content analysis approach. The participants in this study included nursing faculty members and students (N = 15). The sampling method was purposive and continued until data saturation was reached. Data collection and analysis were performed simultaneously. The researcher recorded all interviews using a tape recorder, followed by an immediate verbatim transcription. Subsequently, the text was analyzed using an extractive content analysis method. Results: Analysis of interviews with faculty and students led to in the extraction of five core categories of inhibiting factors, which include organizational factors, insufficient positive feedback, barriers related to education and curriculum, and structural and supportive limitations. In addition, seven primary categories of facilitating factors were identified: institutional and legal support, assistance for faculty and students, the development of experiential learning networks, the integration of social accountability into education, individual factors, cultural and social influences, and collaboration with external institutions. The integration of these findings into a holistic conceptual model indicated that bolstering facilitating factors and reducing inhibiting factors can create pathways for the effective engagement of nursing students in social accountability initiatives. Conclusion: Developing socially responsive nurses requires a systematic and multi-level approach. The proposed model can be used as a roadmap for policymakers and managers to design, plan, and implement socially responsive nursing programs. © The Author(s) 2026.