Focused ethnography protocol for exploring burn pain management practices in clinical settings: methodological considerations and implementation framework.

INTRODUCTION: Effective burn pain management is profoundly influenced by cultural contexts, and the complexity of this context is intensified by migration. However, the limited understanding of the relationship between culture and pain is an important barrier to delivering high-quality, person-centred care. Achieving a deeper understanding of this phenomenon is essential for developing effective care plans. This approach can mitigate long-term consequences such as post-traumatic stress disorder and ultimately improve the quality of life for burn survivors, moving beyond purely physiological treatment. Accordingly, this qualitative study will be conducted using a focused ethnographic approach to describe and explore the cultural factors that shape patterns and experiences of pain management by caregivers and patients within the burn care setting.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This qualitative study will be conducted using a focused ethnographic approach across eight operational stages. The study will be conducted in the burn unit of Sina Teaching Hospital, Tabriz, Iran, a provincial multicultural referral centre. Data will be collected through participant observation, formal and informal semistructured interviews with patients, family members and the healthcare team, and review of relevant documents. Purposive sampling will continue until data saturation is achieved. Data analysis will be performed concurrently with data collection and will follow Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis approach, including immersion, coding, theme extraction, theme review and theme definition and labelling. Finally, the main narrative will be developed and refined by linking selected excerpt-commentary units related to the core themes.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION OF STUDY: This study protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; under the ethics code (IR.TBZMED.REC.1402.831). This study ensures ethical conduct for vulnerable burn patients via a multistage consent process. Data will be anonymised and securely stored under General Data Protection Regulation to protect participant confidentiality and autonomy. The findings of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, national and international conferences and summary reports tailored for burn unit clinicians, nursing staff and hospital policymakers. A plain language summary will also be shared with patient advocacy groups and the public to ensure accessibility of the research outcomes.