Implementation Barriers to Effective Nursing Interventions in Oncology Nursing Care in Saudi Arabia: A CMO Realist Evaluation

<b>Background:</b> Nursing interventions are important in improving patient outcomes, especially in acute care units where patients encounter severe and complicated health problems. However, multiple barriers can hinder the accurate assessment of the effectiveness of such interventions. <b>Aim:</b> The aim of this study was to explore the barriers to evaluating the impact of nursing interventions on patient outcomes in acute care settings. <b>Methods:</b> This study employed a qualitative exploratory research design. This study was carried out in the acute care departments of a governmental tertiary hospital in the Western Region, Saudi Arabia. A purposive sample of 20 nurses was considered. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. <b>Results:</b> The thematic analysis results identified five major themes: a lack of a standardised evaluation tool, time constraints, resource limitations, patient variability, and a lack of interdisciplinary collaboration. <b>Conclusions:</b> The results reveal that there are obstacles to evaluating nursing interventions in acute care. Such obstacles hinder the introduction of evidence-based changes in nursing practice and, consequently, affect the quality of care provided to patients. Healthcare settings should therefore focus on addressing the identified barriers and enabling nurses to effectively evaluate their care interventions.