Abstract
Background Patient education is fundamental to patient-centered care but faces significant implementation
challenges. Nurses, ideally positioned to lead education, encounter barriers like time constraints, inadequate
environments, and discontinuity across shifts, leading to inconsistent delivery. Understanding these barriers and
facilitators from nurses’ perspectives is crucial for improving practice, especially in resource-constrained settings like
Palestine.
Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted with 150 nurses (mean age 32.1 ± 11.4 years; 58% female; 62%
governmental hospitals; 58.7% open units) across diverse Palestinian hospitals. A validated 20-item questionnaire
(Cronbach’s α = 0.89 overall) assessed 10 barriers and 10 facilitators using a 5-point Likert scale. Data analysis employed
descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H), and ordinal logistic regression via SPSS
v25.
Results Top barriers were time limitations (37.3%; mean = 3.52 ± 1.06), unsuitable environment (33.3%; 3.46 ± 1.16),
and discontinuity across shifts (32.0%). Key facilitators included prioritizing education evaluation (48.0% agreed;
3.63 ± 1.10), using educational technology (44.0% agreed; 3.67 ± 1.07), and dedicated nurse-educators (46.0% agreed).
Significant predictors of higher barriers were older age (p < 0.001), governmental hospitals (p = 0.005), and lower
education (Diploma/Bachelor vs. PhD, p < 0.05). Facilitators were more recognized by older nurses (p < 0.001), those in
urban areas (B = 1.034, p = 0.016), and governmental staff (p = 0.015).
Conclusions Systemic barriers (time, environment, staffing) and actionable facilitators (technology, evaluation
protocols, specialized roles) critically impact patient education in Palestine. Interventions must prioritize resource
allocation, protected education time, Arabic-language tools, and leveraging experienced nurses. Policy reforms
addressing nurse-patient ratios and institutional support are essential to enhance education quality and patient
outcomes.

Title

BMC Nursing

Publisher

BMC

Publisher Country

United States of America

Indexing

Scopus

Impact Factor

3.9

Publication Type

Both (Printed and Online)

Volume

24

Year

2025

Pages

741