Background: Therapeutic communication is essential in the provision of quality healthcare to patients. The purpose\nof this study was to explore the perceived barriers to effective therapeutic communication among patients and\nnurses at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital,Kumasi.\nMethods: An exploratory study design was employed using a qualitative approach. A purposive sampling technique\nwas used to select 13 nurses and patients who were interviewed using an unstructured interview guide.\nInterviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic content analysis.\nResults: Patient-related characteristics that were identified as barriers to effective therapeutic communication included\nsocio-demographic characteristics, patient-nurse relationship, language, misconception, as well as pain. Nurse-related\ncharacteristics such as lack of knowledge, all-knowing attitude, work overload and dissatisfaction were also identified as\nbarriers to effective therapeutic and environmental-related issues such as noisy environment, new to the hospital\nenvironment as well as unconducive environment were identified as barriers to effective therapeutic communication\namong patients and nurses at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital,Kumasi.\nConclusion: Nurse-patient communication is an inseparable part of the patient's care in every health setting; it is one of\nthe factors that determine the quality of care. Several patient-related characteristics, nurse- related characteristics and\nenvironmental-related issues pose as barriers to effective therapeutic communication at Komfo Anokye Teaching\nHospital,Kumasi and have ultimately; resulted in reducing effective communication at the wards. Therefore, all the barriers\nmust be eradicated to promote effective therapeutic communication.
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