Explaining the Experiences of Health Care Providers about Barriers of Client Education in Ghaemshahr Health Centers: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Introduction: Providing an effective education by healthcare workers is very important in improving the quality of health services and patients' lives. Effective education faces a variety of challenges, which results in the low productivity of experienced health care providers. The aim of this study was to explain the experiences of health care providers about barriers of client education in Ghaemshahr health centers. Method: This qualitative research was conducted by content analysis method in Ghaemshahr healthcare centers. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews through focus group discussion and individual interviews with 20 healthcare staff that were selected by purposive and theoretical sampling. Data were analyzed and interpreted using conventional content analysis with Lundman and Graneheim technique. Results: After data analysis, 4 main themes and 15 subthemes were extracted. The main themes include structural challenges, inappropriate working conditions, lack of integrated professional knowledge, and inefficient teaching methods. Conclusion: Structural barriers are the main obstacle for providing an effective education by healthcare workers. Also, there is not a context for proper training, and despite many efforts, staff are incapable of providing an effective education. Educational policies need to be changed and client education whould be provided with higher quality and more effectively by employing expert forces and putting aside big challenges.

Keywords

• client education
• educational barriers
• healthcare workers