Breaking Barriers: Assessing Factors Affecting Nurse-Patient Communication in Healthcare Settings: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59994/ajamts.2025.2.28Keywords:
Nurse–Patient Communication, Healthcare Quality, Communication Barriers, Workload, Understaffing, Professional Experience, Hospital Environment, Patient SatisfactionAbstract
Nurse–patient communication is essential for delivering safe, high-quality, and patient-centered care, as it fosters trust, improves understanding, and enhances health outcomes. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify factors limiting effective nurse–patient communication in healthcare facilities in Bethlehem from nurses’ perspectives. Data were collected between March 10 and March 30, 2025, from 100 nurses working in Bethlehem hospitals using a validated questionnaire, and analyzed with SPSS Version 23. Findings indicated that both personal-social and environmental factors significantly hinder communication. Personal-social barriers included insufficient information, limited patient understanding, and cultural differences, while environmental barriers involved high workload, understaffing, work pressure, and limited time for patient interaction. Gender showed a significant association with environmental factors (p = 0.007) but not with personal-social factors (p = 0.06). Age and educational level were not significant, whereas professional experience positively influenced communication skills (p = 0.048; p = 0.008). The study highlights the need for targeted training, improved staffing, and supportive workplace policies to strengthen nurse–patient communication and improve care quality within the local healthcare context.
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