COMMUNICATION BARRIER AMONG NURSE-PATIENT IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS IN PESHAWAR

Background: Effective nurse-patient communication is fundamental to high-quality care, patient satisfaction, and safety. Poor communication contributes to medical errors, patient dissatisfaction, and increased risk of workplace violence. Despite its importance, communication gaps persist in clinical practice due to systemic, personal, and environmental challenges. In countries like Pakistan, limited research has addressed this issue in tertiary care settings, particularly from the nurses’ perspective, necessitating local studies to identify barriers and guide improvements. Objective: To identify and analyze the key barriers to effective nurse-patient communication in tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over six months in three public tertiary care hospitals: Lady Reading Hospital, Hayatabad Medical Complex, and Khyber Teaching Hospital. A total of 313 registered graduate nurses were selected using a simple random sampling technique from a population of 1,594. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire comprising multiple domains related to communication barriers. After obtaining informed consent and ethical approval, responses were analyzed using SPSS software to generate descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Among the 313 participants, 76.0% were female and 58.1% were married, with 55.6% holding a bachelor’s degree and 40.6% having 1–3 years of experience. Environmental barriers were reported most frequently, with 43.1% of nurses identifying nursing shortages and 46.6% citing time constraints as major barriers. Additionally, 41.8% perceived inadequate communication skills as a major obstacle. Social and psychological factors, such as lack of patient involvement and emotional detachment among nurses, were also recognized. In contrast, age, gender, cultural, and religious differences were seen as minor or neutral by most participants. Conclusion: The study highlights that environmental and educational challenges significantly hinder nurse-patient communication in tertiary care hospitals. Addressing these barriers through targeted training, improved staffing, and support for nurses' well-being is essential for enhancing communication and care quality.