Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of healthcare in the emergency departments of governmental hospitals in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, from the perspective of nurses. METHODS: This observational, descriptive, and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in major governmental hospitals in the Gaza Strip between October 2022 and January 2023. The study population comprised nurses working in adult emergency departments who had at least 6 months of clinical experience. Data were collected using a self-administered English questionnaire designed to assess six key domains of healthcare quality: physician effectiveness, nursing effectiveness, medical equipment efficiency, communication methods, safe environments, and timeliness. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25. RESULTS: A total of 193 nurses were included. The study found that nurses rated the overall quality of healthcare in Gaza's emergency departments as high (75.0%). Among the six evaluated domains, communication methods received the highest rating (87.0%), followed by safe environments (82.0%) and physician effectiveness (77.1%). Nurses reported strong teamwork and effective communication within the healthcare team. However, two domains received notably lower scores: the quality of medical devices and instruments (56.5%) and nursing effectiveness (68.5%). Key concerns included shortages in medical equipment, delays in replacements, and insufficient nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Despite these challenges, nurses acknowledged their commitment to accurate documentation and continuous patient follow-up. CONCLUSION: The study indicates that while the overall quality of care in Gaza's emergency departments is rated high by nurses, there are ongoing challenges in medical equipment and personnel. Addressing these issues is essential for improving patient care and outcomes. Future research should focus on optimizing resource allocation and improving nurse-patient ratios in conflict-affected areas.