Barriers to patient-centered care: a thematic analysis study

To explore nurses' attitudes and experience toward the barriers to achieving patient-centered care in the critical care setting.

A qualitative exploratory design with thematic analysis approach was used to collect and analyze data, and identify barriers to patient-centered care. Data collection was based on in-depth semi-structured interviews.

Data analyses resulted in the identification of three themes: (a) lack of common understanding of teamwork, (b) individual barriers, and (c) organizational barriers.

This study goes beyond reporting problems with patient-centered care to try to understand why patients do not always receive high-quality care.

For achieving patient-centered care, not only nurses' individual efforts in following up-to-date evidence-based practice and having a holistic view are necessary, but also team coordination, organizational support, and elimination of nursing job problems.