Skip to main content
. 2021 Nov 1;20:215. doi: 10.1186/s12912-021-00746-5

Table 6.

Percentage of respondents selecting each barrier to care (average and range across sub-categories)

Barrier Physical Care Relational Care Psychosocial care
Wearing PPE 33% (21–44%) 61% (37–77%) 44% (36–48%)
Severity of the patient’s condition 41% (33–50%) 29% (21–47%) 37% (35–39%)
Difficulties taking items / equipment in and out of isolation rooms for patients nursed in these environments 38% (28–54%) 13% (9–18%) 17% (13–21%)
Lack of time 22% (12–29%) 31% (24–41%) 37% (30–40%)
Lack of personnel, skill mix, catering, housekeeping or dietetic support 30% (11–38%) 12% (9–17%) 24% (20–27%)
Lack of knowledge about COVID-19 23% (13–34%) 16% (8–28%) 25% (18–30%)
Not enough physical resources such as equipment/washing facilities/stock items e.g. water jugs, disposable cups, patients’ teeth 24% (12–28%) 12% (4–34%) 14% (10–19%)
Fear of catching COVID-19 21% (13–30%) 19% (11–25%) 23% (22–24%)
Frequent changes in hospital, Trust or organizational policies 22% (15–35%) 12% (7–20%) 15% (14–15%)
Lack of appropriate PPE 17% (11–26%) 8% (5–11%) 10% (10%)
Lack of ability to establish a meaningful rapport with the patient 9% (5–17%) 15% (12–22%) 14% (11–19%)
Lack of information about the ward or patient 10% (6–14%) 9% (7–11%) 16% (12–24%)
Competing requirements of essential medical interventions 15% (13–20%) 9% (4–11%) 11% (10–13%)
Lack of ability to regulate the environment (noise level, lighting, remote monitoring) 42% (34–49%) N/A N/A
Lack of relevant personal expertise 11% (6–16%) 7% (4–11%) 11% (9–12%)
Lack of personal psychological support 7% (5–10%) 7% (5–10%) 11% (7–17%)
Lack of personal emotional capacity 6% (2–9%) 7% (5–10%) 9% (7–14%)
Lack of access to changing facilities for PPE 9% (6–17%) 4% (2–5%) 5% (4–7%)
Lack of leadership from senior nurses or managers 8% (5–13%) 6% (3–9%) 8% (7–10%)
Lack of privacy for the patient 51%a N/A N/A
Inability to meet the patient’s dietary requirements 13%a N/A N/A
Other 5% (3–7%) 5% (2–17%) 7% (6–9%)

aNo range provided as barrier only offered as an option for one sub-category of care