Barriers and facilitators to patient education provided by nurses: A mixed-method systematic review

To investigate the factors that facilitate or hinder nurses in providing patient education.

A mixed-method systematic review.

Six databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE and ERIC) were systematically searched for relevant publications.

The study was conducted following the JBI for mixed-method systematic reviews, and the reporting followed the PRISMA guideline. Two researchers independently performed literature screening, literature evaluation, data extraction and synthesis. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023427451.

Twenty-six eligible articles were included, including 15 quantitative articles, 10 qualitative articles and 2 mixed-methods articles. The resultant synthesis of key findings led to the identification of these barriers and facilitators, categorised into five distinct levels: nurse-related factors, organisational factors, patient-related factors, the nurse-patient relationship and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The findings highlight the factors that facilitate or hinder nurses in providing patient education, suggesting that multifaceted interventions can enhance the practice of patient education in nursing and support the development of appropriate patient education guidelines or public policies.

This review delineates the facilitators and barriers influencing nurses' provision of patient education, offering an initial framework for nursing managers to craft interventions aimed at enhancing the quality of patient education provided by nurses, consequently elevating the overall quality of nursing.