Journal of Rescue Relief

en بررسی چالش‌ها و راهکارهای ارائه خدمات مراقبت سلامت در پیاده روی اربعین: یک مطالعه کیفی از دیدگاه پرستاران و کادر فوریت های پزشکی Healthcare Challenges and Solutions During the Arbaeen Pilgrimage: Perspectives of Nurses and EMS Personnel بهداشت و درمان و توانبخشی در سوانح Healthcare and rehabilitation in disasters پژوهشي Research article <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">INTRODUCTION:The Arbaeen pilgrimage is one of the world’s largest annual religious mass gatherings, attracting millions. It presents major challenges to healthcare delivery, medical supply chains, and welfare services due to extreme crowd density, high temperatures, long walking distances, and limited infrastructure. This study explores these challenges and potential solutions from the perspectives of nurses and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel. METHODS: This qualitative study used inductive content analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 nurses and EMS personnel using purposive sampling until data saturation was reached. FINDINGS: The findings identified key challenges, including shortages of human resources (particularly female nurses) and equipment, inadequate accommodation and welfare facilities, limited specialized care for vulnerable groups, sociocultural and communication barriers, healthcare worker exhaustion, crowd congestion, inefficient resource management, and limited patient transfer capacity. CONCLUSION: Improving healthcare services during the Arbaeen pilgrimage requires targeted interventions. Key strategies include increasing female nurse recruitment, establishing dedicated Mokebs for women and children, deploying mobile clinics and ICUs, integrating Arabic interpreters, implementing electronic health records, strengthening coordination, utilizing intelligent crowd management, and deploying motorcycle ambulances in high-density areas. These measures can enhance care quality, decision-making, and patient referral processes.</div> <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;">INTRODUCTION:The Arbaeen pilgrimage is one of the world’s largest annual religious mass gatherings, attracting millions. It presents major challenges to healthcare delivery, medical supply chains, and welfare services due to extreme crowd density, high temperatures, long walking distances, and limited infrastructure. This study explores these challenges and potential solutions from the perspectives of nurses and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel. METHODS: This qualitative study used inductive content analysis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 nurses and EMS personnel using purposive sampling until data saturation was reached. FINDINGS: The findings identified key challenges, including shortages of human resources (particularly female nurses) and equipment, inadequate accommodation and welfare facilities, limited specialized care for vulnerable groups, sociocultural and communication barriers, healthcare worker exhaustion, crowd congestion, inefficient resource management, and limited patient transfer capacity. CONCLUSION: Improving healthcare services during the Arbaeen pilgrimage requires targeted interventions. Key strategies include increasing female nurse recruitment, establishing dedicated Mokebs for women and children, deploying mobile clinics and ICUs, integrating Arabic interpreters, implementing electronic health records, strengthening coordination, utilizing intelligent crowd management, and deploying motorcycle ambulances in high-density areas. These measures can enhance care quality, decision-making, and patient referral processes.</div> Arbaeen pilgrimage, healthcare delivery, nurses, emergency medical services, qualitative study, challenges. Arbaeen pilgrimage, healthcare delivery, nurses, emergency medical services, qualitative study, challenges. 81 91 http://jorar.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1798-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Faezeh Rahmani فایزه رحمانی rahmanif401@sbmu.ac.ir 100319475328460014913 100319475328460014913 No Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Zohreh Ghomian زهره قمیان zghomian@gmail.com 100319475328460014914 100319475328460014914 Yes Associate Professor, Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Associate Professor, Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Center, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Meysam Mohammadi Behnoush میثم محمدی meysammb1992@yahoo.com 100319475328460014915 100319475328460014915 No Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Masoud Jobaneh مسعود جوبانه masoud.jobaneh@gmail.com 100319475328460014916 100319475328460014916 No Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.