Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences Journal of Multidisciplinary Care 2783-3852 14 3 2026 09 14 An Investigation Into the Barriers to Effective Nurse-Patient Communication from the Perspective of Nurses in Teaching Hospitals in Zanjan, Iran 144 151 10.34172/jmdc.1469 EN Amir Hesan Azizi https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5149-071X Hasan Heidari https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1589-7471 Fatemeh Masaebi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8439-5024 Faezeh Ghahremani https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2486-2118 Zahra Ghanbari Tanha https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7061-1584 Fatemeh Najafi https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2211-2457 Maliheh Javidpour https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9711-8336 Journal Article 10.34172/jmdc.1469 2026 02 15 2026 05 18 Introduction: Effective nurse-patient communication is essential for providing high-quality care and increasing patient satisfaction. Conversely, poor communication often leads to patient dissatisfaction and a decline in service quality. This study aimed to identify the barriers to effective nurse-patient communication from the perspective of nurses working in teaching hospitals in Zanjan, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 195 nurses from various wards in Zanjan’s teaching hospitals in 2025. Participants were selected using a stratified random sampling method. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and the "Barriers to Effective Nurse-Patient Communication" questionnaire. This tool was developed in 2008, and its validity and reliability have been established in previous studies. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 via descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney U tests, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, with the significance level set at P<0.05. Results: The most important barriers to effective nurse–patient communication were identified as the difficulty of nursing work (92.9%), high workload (92.3%), low salary (90.8%), lack of welfare facilities (88.8%), physical and mental fatigue (87.2%), lack of recognition from officials (83.6%), and excessive patient expectations (80.5%). Job-related factors had the most substantial impact (35.69±5.22). Notably, nurses’ demographic and occupational characteristics indicated no significant relationship with communication barriers (P>0.05). Conclusion: The findings showed that communication barriers were mainly related to occupational conditions, specifically work difficulty, low salary, and nurses’ exhaustion. It is recommended that intervention programs be designed and implemented to reduce nursing workloads and provide communication skills to enhance their ability to interact effectively with patients.