The enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols are designed to expedite patient recovery after major surgeries. This study explores barriers and facilitators to implementing these protocols from the perspective of nurses in surgical care settings at Piacenza Hospital, Italy. The authors employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design. This design began with a quantitative observational phase, followed by a qualitative phase that included two focus groups. Thirty nurses took part in the study voluntarily. Survey results showed that the most valued aspect of the ERAS protocols was their importance in patient care, scoring an average of 3.4 out of 5 on the Likert scale. The benefits for patient outcomes and treatment effectiveness both scored 3.3. However, Guttman’s Scalogram analysis identified significant barriers, including low patient compliance and insufficient nurse training. The thematic analysis revealed a primary domain named "context elements", supported by four dimensions: team characteristics, doctor’s role, operational organization, and care relationship. Integrating the quantitative and qualitative results highlights the critical need for effective communication, continuous training, and staff updates. It also emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, including integrating psychologists into the healthcare team to improve the overall implementation of the ERAS protocols.
Mozzarelli et al. (Wed,) studied this question.