Patient satisfaction with nursing care at a university hospital in Turkey

Patients' Perception of Quality Nursing Care and Services in Emergency Department in Jordan

Patients are the main users of every hospital service particularly the emergency department. Hence, patients' perception is one of the quality care measures. Thus, this study purposed to assess the patients' perception of quality nursing care and services in emergency department in Jordan. A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was adopted on a sample of patients who attended the emergency department (N = 427). Findings demonstrated that most of the health sectors in Jordan had a high level of patients' perception of quality nursing care and related emergency department services (M = 3.93, SD = 0.72). Furthermore, the private sector had the highest mean score (M = 4.18, SD= 0.70), while the government sector had the lowest mean (M = 3.11, SD= 0.38). The level of perception had positive relationship with income (r = 0.097; p < 0.05) and qualifications (r p.b = 0.093; p < 0.05). The number of visits showed a significant negative correlation with patients' perception level (r = - 0.095; p < 0.05). Thus, there is a need for improving the quality of nursing care and services in the emergency department at hospitals by strengthening the policy and enhancing the nursing services supporting system. Establishing plans to develop the infrastructures, equipment, physical environment, sanitation, and facilities in the emergency department to meet the patients' needs to enhance the quality of care and services are needed.

Assessment of the Level of Satisfaction with Medical Care of Patients Treated in Osteoporosis Clinics as an Indicator of the Quality of Medical Care

The aims of this research are to assess the level of satisfaction with medical care among patients treated in osteoporosis clinics and to determine the relationship among the frequency of visits to the doctor, the duration of treatment, socio-demographic factors, and patient satisfaction with the medical care they receive. The study was conducted from August 2016 to July 2018 at osteoporosis clinics in eastern Poland. The study participants were 312 patients treated for osteopenia or osteoporosis. The authors utilized two research instruments: the PASAT POZ questionnaire and their own questionnaire. The results indicate that the duration of osteoporosis treatment is a factor that significantly influences the level of satisfaction with medical care: the longer the treatment time, the poorer the assessment of the clinic, and therefore, the lower the patient degree of satisfaction. Our analysis shows that women assess clinics more positively overall. Additionally, the higher the study participants’ age, the lower the general assessment of the clinic. A further analysis showed that respondents in better financial situations and with higher levels of education tended to assess clinics more favorably. The Pareto-Lorenz analysis indicated that the key element in general assessments of specialist clinics is the doctor. It is advisable for health service providers to monitor the quality of health care they are providing and make improvements. Therefore, further research is needed, especially in relation to chronic diseases such as osteoporosis.

The effect of vibration stimulation on intramuscular injection pain and patient satisfaction: Single-blind, randomised controlled study

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of vibration stimulation application in ventrogluteal region on intramuscular injection pain and patient satisfaction.

BACKGROUND

Intramuscular injection pain caused distress for the patients and affected their compliance with the treatment.

DESIGN

This was a prospective, single-blind, cross-over study. The study complied with the guidelines of Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT).

METHODS

Eighty-four patients who applied to the adult emergency department received an intramuscular injection of amoxicillin\ cefuroxime sodium to the ventrogluteal site with and without vibration in a random order following a standard procedure by the same investigator. Pain and satisfaction were assessed immediately after the injection with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), by a researcher blinded to the study. The data were evaluated using mean, standard deviation, percentage, Student's t-test, paired sample t-test, linear regression analysis and generalised linear mixed model.

RESULTS

A total of 174 injections were analysed. The result of the study revealed that vibration decreased the severity of pain and increased the patient satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Vibration is a non-pharmacologic approach, which can be effective in decreasing the injection pain and increasing patient satisfaction.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Intramuscular injection is the most frequently used nursing practice in the clinic. The use of vibration in decreasing pain due to intramuscular applications can help increase the self-confidence of nurses and the quality of the care they provide.

Emergency Department Patient Satisfaction Assessment using Modified Servqual Model; a Cross-sectional Study

Introduction:

The quality of medical services and attention paid to patients in medical centers have been concerning for healthcare providers.

Objective:

The present study was designed to identify factors affecting patient satisfaction with medical service in the emergency department (ED).

Method:

This was a cross-sectional study conducted in spring 2016 in Imam Khomeini Hospital, Jiroft, Iran. Patients aged more than 18 years presenting to the ED with a minimum stay of 24 hours were included. Unwillingness to take part, incomplete questionnaires, or unavailability for an interview were considered the exclusion criteria. Data were collected using a 24-item researcher-made questionnaire based on Servqual quality measuring tool with five components of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy.

Results:

The present study recruited 373 patients with the mean age of 41.7±21.8 years (minimum 18 and maximum 79 years), of whom, 67.1% were men. Mean scores indicate the level of patient satisfaction with the hospital service ranging from relatively satisfied to totally satisfied. The components ranking in improving patient satisfaction were as follows: tangibles 4.59, assurance 2.77, reliability 2.74, responsiveness 2.57, and empathy 2.33.

Conclusion:

Of the components assessing the patient satisfaction, tangibles were the most effective component and empathy was the least effective one.

Patient satisfaction with nursing care in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Patient satisfaction with nursing care has been considered as the most important predictor of the overall patient satisfaction with hospital service and quality of health care service at large. However, the national level of patient satisfaction with nursing care remains unknown in Ethiopia. Hence, the objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the level of patient satisfaction with nursing care and its associated factors in Ethiopia.

Methods

Studies were accessed through an electronic web-based search strategy from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL by using a combination of search terms. The quality of each included article was assessed using a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cross-sectional studies. All statistical analyses were done using STATA version 14 software for windows, and meta-analysis was carried out using a random-effects method. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was followed for reporting results.

Results

Of 1166 records screened, 15 studies with 6091 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The estimated pooled level of patient satisfaction with nursing care in Ethiopia was 55.15% (95% CI (47.35, 62.95)). Patients who have one nurse in charge (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.45–2.62, I²: 77.7%), with no history of previous hospitalization (OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 0.82–2.31, I²: 91.3%), living in the urban area (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.70–1.65, I²: 62.2%), and those who have no comorbid disease (OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.48–2.39, I²: 91.9%) were more likely to be satisfied with nursing care compared with their counterparts although it was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

About one in two patients were not satisfied with the nursing care provided in Ethiopia and may be attributed to several factors. Therefore, the Ministry of Health should give more emphasis to the quality of nursing care in order to increase patient satisfaction and improve the overall quality of healthcare service in Ethiopia.

Effects of Vibration and Cold Application on Pain and Anxiety During Intravenous Catheterization

PURPOSE

To determine the effects of vibration and cold gel pack application on pain and anxiety levels of patients undergoing intravenous (IV) catheterization.

DESIGN

A randomized controlled, pretest and post-test experimental study.

METHODS

Catheterization was performed 60 seconds before the IV catheterization procedure was started by applying vibration and cold gel pack to patients in the experimental group. Patients in the control group underwent catheterization using standard procedures.

FINDINGS

The mean pain scores of patients in the experimental group were lower than those of the patients in the control group. Intragroup analysis demonstrated that the mean scores obtained from the state anxiety and trait anxiety inventories after the study were not significantly different from those obtained before the study.

CONCLUSIONS

Vibration and cold gel pack application is suggested to relive pain during IV catheterization in adults.

Predictors of adult patient satisfaction with nursing care in public hospitals of Amhara region, Northwest Ethiopia

Background

Nursing care plays a prominent role in determining the overall satisfaction of patients’ hospitalization experience. Studies have shown that satisfaction with nursing care is the best indicator of patients’ satisfaction with healthcare facilities. The aim of the current study was intended to determine the level of satisfaction and identifying factors towards nursing care from the admitted adult patients’ viewpoints.

Method

The study was done from January 01 to February 01/2017 at three public hospitals of Amhara region using an institutional cross-sectional study design. Systematic random sampling technique was employed to recruit 585 sampled study participants. Patient Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale was utilized to collect the data. Variables which had statistically significant association with the outcome variable (P < 0.05) were identified as significant in the multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Result

A total of 563 patients participated. The overall admitted adult patient satisfaction with nursing care was 40.7%. Patients were more satisfied with the provision of health information, affective support, and professional technical control and least satisfied with decisional control which includes allowing patients and their attendants in the involvement of care. Being governmental employee, patients in the age group of 31–40 years and 4–8 patients in a single room were least satisfied with the nursing care whereas ever married, more educated and patients admitted to the surgical ward were more satisfied than their counterparts with nursing care.

Conclusion

The overall level of patient satisfaction in this study was very low in comparison with many studies. This may urge hospital administrators, policymakers and nurses to be more sensitive with patients’ decisional control or sense of autonomy when providing care.

The Turkish adaptation of scale to measure patient perceptions of the quality of nursing care and related hospital services: A validity and reliability study

OBJECTIVE:

This study aimed to test the validity and reliability of a version of the tool developed in Sri Lanka in 2011 to assess patient perceptions of the quality of nursing care and related hospital services created for use with Turkish patients.

METHODS:

This methodological study was conducted between November 2013 and November 2014 after obtaining ethical approval and organizational permission. Data was collected during discharge from 180 adult patients who were hospitalized for at least 3 days at a medical school hospital located in Istanbul. After language validation, validity and reliability analyses of the scale were conducted. Content validity, content validity index (CVI), construct validity, and exploratory factor analysis were assessed and examined, and reliability was tested using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and item-total correlations.

RESULTS:

Mean CVI was found to be 0.95, which is above expected value. Exploratory factor analysis revealed 4 factors with eigenvalues above 1, which explained 82.4% of total variance in the Turkish version of the tool to measure patient perceptions of nursing care and other hospital services. Factor loading for each item was ≥.40. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of sub-dimensions and total scale were found to be 0.84-0.98 and 0.98, respectively. Item-total correlations ranged from 0.56 to 0.83 for the entire group, which was above expected values.

CONCLUSION:

The Turkish version of the scale to assess patient perceptions of the quality of nursing care and related hospital services, which comprised 4 sub-dimensions and 36 items, was found to be valid and reliable for use with the Turkish population.

Evaluation of Patients' Satisfaction With Nursing Students' Care on a Perinatology Ward

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate patient satisfaction with the care provided by nursing students on a perinatology ward.

METHOD

The sample for this descriptive study included 210 patients. Data were collected using an interview form and the Turkish version of the Oncology Patients' Perceptions of the Quality of Nursing Care Scale-Short Form.

RESULTS

According to the mean scores for all subscales in the instrument, patients were highly satisfied with the care they received from the nursing students. Multivariate analysis revealed that the reason for hospitalization was found to be the most statistically significant factor affecting patient perceptions of quality of care.

CONCLUSION

A high level of satisfaction with the care provided by nursing students indicates that the students were able to meet the patients' needs, which may serve as an indicator of the quality of nursing education and quality of care provided by future nurses.

Gap Analysis between Perceptions and Expectations of Medical-Surgical Patients in a Public Hospital in Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVES

To investigate patients' satisfaction with nursing care by measuring the gap between patients' expectations of care and perceptions of the actual care provided and to identify the areas of nursing care that need improvement.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients who were admitted to the Departments of Medicine and Surgery at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A modified Service Quality (SERVQUAL) instrument was adapted to collect information from a convenience sample of 432 patients from November 25, 2012, to February 3, 2013. The instrument comprised 22 pairs of questions assessing 5 dimensions of the nursing care provided to patients during hospitalizations. The mean patient expectations and perceptions as well as the gap score values for each dimension of nursing service were tested for differences between the mean scores of the sample at a level of significance of 0.05 using a t test.

RESULTS

The gap score for all of the 5 dimensions of nursing services were: responsiveness, -1.71; reliability, -1.48; tangibles, -1.36; assurance, -1.26, and empathy, -0.96. Service quality across the dimensions of responsiveness and reliability was statistically significant (p < 0.05). This result indicated that patients were not satisfied with the nursing service quality in relation to all dimensions.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed negative gaps for the 5 nursing service quality dimensions evaluated. This could provide nurses with information about the aspects of nursing care that promote more positive patient outcomes and satisfaction.

Supportive Nursing Care and Satisfaction of Patients Receiving Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background:

Patient satisfaction is the most important criterion in evaluating the quality of care. Besides, its assessment in patients with severe mental disorder treated by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is highly appropriate. The ECT is accompanied by lower satisfaction and may exacerbate the patients’ condition.

Objectives:

The current study aimed to determine the effect of supportive nursing care on the satisfaction of patients receiving ECT.

Patients and Methods:

This randomized controlled trial was conducted in the education center of Baharan psychiatric hospital, Zahedan, Iran. Seventy hospitalized patients receiving ECT were randomly divided into two groups of control (n = 35) and intervention (n = 35).The socio-personal and Webster Satisfaction Questionnaire were used as data collection tools. The intervention group received supportive nursing care by nurses trained in informational, emotional, and physical aspects. The control group received only regular nursing care. The levels of satisfaction were measured and compared between groups, before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software, and Chi-square, independent and paired t tests, as well as covariance analysis were performed.

Results:

The results showed similarities in socio-personal characteristics of both groups. However, there was a significant difference (P < 0.001) between the means of satisfaction in the groups, predominantly for the intervention group. In other words, a significant difference (P < 0.001) was observed between the means of satisfaction of the intervention (54.71 ± 5.27) and control (36.28 ± 7.00) groups after intervention by controlling the effect of socio-personal variables.

Conclusions:

Results of the current study confirmed the effect of supportive nursing care on increasing the level of satisfaction in ECT receiving patients, recommending the use of this therapeutic method.

Nurses' emotional intelligence impact on the quality of hospital services

BACKGROUND

Emotional intelligence is the potential to feel, use, communicate, recognize, remember, describe, identify, learn from, manage, understand and explain emotions. Service quality also can be defined as the post-consumption assessment of the services by consumers that are determined by many variables.

OBJECTIVES

This study was aimed to determine the nurses' emotional intelligence impact on the delivered services quality.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This descriptive - applied study was carried out through a cross-sectional method in 2010. The research had 2 populations comprising of patients admitted to three academic hospitals of Yazd and the hospital nurses. Sample size was calculated by sample size formula for unlimited (patients) and limited (nursing staff) populations and obtained with stratified- random method. The data was collected by 4 valid questionnaires.

RESULTS

The results of study indicated that nurses' emotional intelligence has a direct effect on the hospital services quality. The study also revealed that nurse's job satisfaction and communication skills have an intermediate role in the emotional intelligence and service quality relation.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper reports a new determinant of hospital services quality.

The patient satisfaction with nursing care quality: the psychometric study of the Serbian version of PSNCQ questionnaire

INTRODUCTION

Patient satisfaction with nursing is the most important predictor of patients' overall satisfaction with their hospital care. According to the Law of Health Care of Republic of Serbia monitoring of patients' satisfaction with hospital service is mandatory; however, the questionnaire applied to that purpose includes only several questions directly addressing the nursing care issue.

AIM

The aim of the present study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the Serbian version Patient Satisfaction Nursing Care Quality Questionnaire (PSNCQQ) and explore patients' satisfaction of nursing care they received and assess the relationship between patient satisfaction and patient characteristics.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included a sample population of 240 patients who were discharged from surgical clinics of the Clinical Center of Vojvodina in Novi Sad. The PSNCQQ was translated into Serbian according to standard procedures for forward and backward translation. Factor analysis was used to determine the construct validity, and predictive validity of the questionnaire was previously assessed. Cronbach's α coefficient and item analysis was conducted to evaluate reliability of the scale.

RESULTS

The Serbian version Patient Satisfaction Nursing Care Quality Questionnaire (PSNCQQ) showed a one-factor structure, Cronbach's α reliability coefficient was excellent 0.94 and was similar across hospital categories. The correlation coefficient between 19 items and the total scale was high, and ranged from 0.56 to 0.76. Patients' age, educational level and previous hospitalization period were important factors that affected their satisfaction with nursing care.

CONCLUSION

The study provides a new tool for measuring patient satisfaction with nursing care in Serbia that may present a useful instrument for nursing care managers in improving the nursing care process.

Escala SERVQUAL: validación en población mexicana

La evaluación de servicios se ha vuelto una exigencia debido a una sociedad cada vez más demandante de servicios de calidad. En el área de la salud, la satisfacción del paciente se hace un indicador determinante en la mensuración de la calidad del cuidado. Con objeto de poner a disposición un instrumento válido y confiable para esa evaluación, la finalidad del presente estudio es adaptar la Escala SERVQUAL para la cultura mexicana. La adaptación cultural y semántica fue realizada por cuatro jueces peritos en el área, que evaluaron la equivalencia conceptual y cultural de los elementos de la escala. La consistencia interna del instrumento fue evaluada por el test Alfa de Cronbach con resultado α=0,74 en la escala total y análisis factorial en que fueron detectadas las cinco dimensiones de la escala, demostrando que la misma es válida y confiable para medir el servicio de enfermería en la población mexicana.

Patient satisfaction with birthing center nursing care and factors associated with likelihood to recommend institution

This study analyzed data from an existing hospital birthing center patient satisfaction survey to determine which care factors were most important to patients and correlated with the likelihood to recommend the facility to others. Three dimensions of care emerged--wait time, communication, and service. Patients gave lower scores for satisfaction if they waited longer than expected for a call light response: 40% of patients expected to wait 4 minutes or less for a response. Discussing with patients realistic wait times for call light responses may be a way to improve patient satisfaction.

Nurse-perceived time pressure and patient-perceived care quality

AIMS

To examine how time pressure among nurses influences patient-perceived care quality.

BACKGROUND

Although nurses worldwide face increased time pressure in the workplace, no studies have addressed how workplace time pressure influences patient-perceived care quality. Patient-perceived care quality predicts patient intent to revisit the hospital if care is required, warranting investigation as to whether nurse-perceived time pressure decreases patient-perceived care quality.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design and survey method were adopted. The data analysis was based on 229 nurse-patient sets drawn from a medical centre in northern Taiwan. Each set comprised one nurse and three patients.

RESULTS

The study results demonstrate that time pressure among nurses reduces patient-perceived reliability/accountability, responsiveness and assurance. The test results, however, did not indicate a significant negative association between time pressure and patient-perceived empathy and tangibles.

CONCLUSION

Time pressure among nurses may reduce patient perception of care quality in terms of reliability/accountability, responsiveness and assurance.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

To enhance patient perception of care quality, nursing managers need to devise means to reduce nurse-perceived time pressure.

[Care quality in intensive care evaluated by the patients using a service quality scale (SERVQUAL)]

INTRODUCTION

The evaluation made by the patients on the quality of service received is important to introduce improvement strategies in the care quality.

OBJECTIVES

1. To evaluate the care quality through the analysis of the differences obtained between expectations and perceptions, that the patients have of the service received in the ICU. 2. To analyze if there is any relationship between care quality evaluated by the patients and the sociodemographic variables.

METHOD

A total of 86 patients who were conscious and oriented during their stay in the ICU were studied prospectively. At 24h of the discharge from the ICU, the SERVQUAL (Service Quality) scale, adapted for the hospital setting by Babakus and Mangold (1992), was applied. This scale measures the care quality based on the difference in scores obtained between expectations and perceptions of the patients. The positive scores indicate that the perceptions of the patients exceed their expectations. The scale has 5 dimensions: Tangibility, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurances and Empathy. It includes 15 items for perceptions and the same for expectations, with 5 grades of response (1 totally disagree - 5 totally agree).

RESULTS

The mean score of perceptions 66.92) exceeded that of the expectations (62.30). The mean score of the difference between perceptions and expectations for the total of the SERVQUAL scale was 4.62. It was also positive for each one of the dimensions: Tangibility=1.44, Reliability=0.53, Responsiveness=0.95, Assurances=0.99, Empathy=0.71. No statistically significant associations were found between care quality evaluated by the patients and the sociodemographic variables.

CONCLUSION

The care quality perceived by the patients in the ICU exceeds their expectations, and had no relationship with the sociodemographic characteristics.

Gearing service quality into public and private hospitals in small islands: empirical evidence from Cyprus

PURPOSE

The purpose of this research is to develop and compare some determinants of service quality in both the public and private hospitals of Northern Cyprus. There is considerable lack of literature with respect to service quality in public and private hospitals.

DESIGN/METHOD/APPROACH

Randomly, 454 respondents, who have recently benefited from hospital services in Famagusta, were selected to answer a modified version of the SERVQUAL Instrument. The instrument contained both service expectations and perceptions questions.

FINDINGS

This study identifies six factors regarding the service quality as perceived in both public and private Northern Cyprus hospitals. These are: empathy, giving priority to the inpatients needs, relationships between staff and patients, professionalism of staff, food and the physical environment. Research results revealed that the various expectations of inpatients have not been met in either the public or the private hospitals

RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS/LIMITATIONS

At the micro level, the lack of management commitment to service quality in both hospital settings leads doctors and nurses to expend less effort increasing or improving inpatient satisfaction. Hospital managers should also satisfy their employees, since job satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, hospital administrations need to gather systematic feedback from their inpatients, establish visible and transparent complaint procedures so that inpatients' complaints can be addressed effectively and efficiently.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The hospitals need to organize training sessions based on the critical importance of service quality and the crucial role of inpatient satisfaction in the health care industry. Future studies should include the remaining regions in Cyprus in order to increase research findings' generalizability. Additionally, including other dimensions such as hospital processes and discharge management and co-ordination may provide further insights into understanding inpatients' perceptions and intentions.

Influence of Personality on Care Quality of Hospital Nurses

This study investigates the relationship between hospital nurse personality and care quality in Taiwan. Hierarchical regression analysis was applied to data for 192 pairs of nurses and patients. Analytical results are as follows: (1) nurse openness was positively correlated with patient perceptions of responsiveness and (2) nurse neuroticism was negatively correlated with patient perceptions of responsiveness, assurance, and empathy.

Inpatient Satisfaction With Nursing Care and Factors Influencing Satisfaction in a Teaching Hospital in China

This study examined inpatient satisfaction with nursing care in a teaching hospital in China. Patient satisfaction with nursing care was assessed by a self-designed questionnaire administered to 320 inpatients selected by a convenience sampling method. The patients had a relatively high level of satisfaction with nursing care. Patients' age, educational background, occupation, methods of payment, and hospital wards were main factors influencing their satisfaction with nursing care. The study provides a new tool for measuring patient satisfaction with nursing care in China.

Are Patients in Western Turkey Contented With Healthcare Services?

The purpose of this study was to describe service quality as perceived by 1200 patients who had inpatient treatment at 3 hospitals in Istanbul: university, social security administration, and government. Patients were most satisfied with the helpful attitudes of personnel during check-in procedures, promptness and skill of nurses, overall service provided by physicians, speedy and skilled work of personnel in laboratories and X-ray rooms, and hospitals in general.

Comparing public and private hospital care service quality in Turkey

PURPOSE

The aim of this article is to examine the differences in service quality between public and private hospitals in Turkey.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

This study applies the principles behind the SERVQUAL model and compares Turkey's public and private hospital care service quality. The study sample contains a total of 200 outpatients. Through the identification of 40 service quality indicators and the use of a Likert-type scale, two questionnaires containing 80-items was developed. The former measured patients' expectations prior to admission to public and private hospital service quality. The latter measured patient perceptions of provided service quality.

FINDINGS

The results indicate that inpatients in the private hospitals were more satisfied with service quality than those in the public hospitals. The results also suggest that inpatients in the private hospitals were more satisfied with doctors, nurses and supportive services than their counterparts in the public hospitals. Finally, the results show that satisfaction with doctors and reasonable costs is the biggest determinants of service quality in the public hospitals.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

Consequently, SERVQUAL, as a standard instrument for measuring functional service quality, is reliable and valid in a hospital environment.

Patient Satisfaction With Nursing Care in a Regional University Hospital in Southern Spain

Patient satisfaction is a valid indicator for measurement of service quality. Patients' opinions are important because dissatisfaction suggests opportunities for improvement. We evaluated the satisfaction of patients with nursing care in a regional university hospital in southern Spain and determined the relevant sociodemographic and attendance characteristics. A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. Reliability and validity of the SERVQUAL instrument were established. The only interaction considered was gender and education level. Analysis of covariance showed that the only factors significantly associated with lower patient satisfaction were female gender, higher educational level, lower overall satisfaction with the hospital, and not knowing the name of the nurse.

Survey response rates and overall patient satisfaction scores: what do they mean?

Within the health care community, more and more emphasis is being placed on patient satisfaction. This study was undertaken in a midwestern, nonprofit, 300-bed acute care hospital to gain a better understanding of how nonresponse rates and patient characteristics affect patient satisfaction scores. With a response rate of 34.2%, it appears that nonresponse bias may have an impact. When looking at variables that may affect the overall score, the multiple regression model used in this analysis was able to explain only 7.5% of the variability in the overall satisfaction score seeming to indicate the unpredictability of the score. This study supports the need to analyze groups of patients rather than patients as a whole to determine what affects their response, both within and between healthcare organizations.

The influence of demographic variables and ward type on elderly patients' perceptions of needs and satisfaction during acute hospitalization

This article reports on a study designed to determine whether demographic characteristics of patients such as age, gender and cultural background were associated with different perceptions of the importance of and satisfaction with various aspects of nursing care. In addition, patients, their family/carer and nurses from wards specializing in aged care were compared with general medical wards to determine if there were differences in these perceptions. Results demonstrated that patients who were older (aged > 80 years), female and from aged care wards perceived that physical aspects of nursing care were more important than did patients who were younger (aged 65-80 years), male and from medical wards. Older patients and those from aged care wards were more satisfied with physical care. Nurses need to be aware of these differences and focus on physical aspects of care to ensure patient satisfaction better health outcomes.