Demographic, perioperative, biochemical and illness-severity predictors of thirst in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

One of the missions of universities and higher education institutions is to respond to the expectations and needs of society, and responsiveness is an integral part of the higher education system []. In fact, responsiveness is a key criterion for evaluating how well educational institutions address societal needs []. Nowadays, educational systems must be responsive to the needs of society []. Social accountability is defined as the obligation of individuals, groups, or institutions to explain and justify their actions, and to accept the corresponding consequences, to the society or organization they serve []. In the health sciences and associated fields, such as nursing, social accountability can be attained through logical policymaking and efficient interventions in education, research, care, and ongoing evaluation to enhance health []. The World Health Organization has highlighted the significance of social accountability in the training of health professionals to tackle health disparities and enhance population health outcomes []. Although social accountability is critically important in nursing practice, it has not been sufficiently acknowledged. Additionally, there is no extensive understanding of its various dimensions and the mechanisms for its implementation []. More extensive studies, including both quantitative and qualitative research, are need to explore approaches to social accountability within the nursing system and elucidate its various dimensions [, ]. Nursing, as a caring science, is committed to improving health standards and responding to the care needs of patients and society []. According to the social accountability approach, the nursing profession is obliged to accept responsibility for the quality of care provided to society and to be responsive to the care needs by adopting appropriate policies and strategies [, ]. Weak social accountability can weaken the scientific and practical ability of nurses to respond to the care needs, undermine the quality of nursing services and public trust, and ultimately reduce overall satisfaction with healthcare provision [, , ].