Effects of a Care Workshop on Caring Behaviors as Measured by Patients and Patient Satisfaction

Hui-Shan Chan,Hsiang Yen,Li-Na Chou,Hui-Ying Chu

doi:10.4236/ojn.2015.52010

Abstract

Caring is a central focus of nursing, and patient satisfaction is a critical indicator of nursing care quality. The aim of this study was to determine the effects that a care workshop exerted on nurse caring behaviors as perceived by patients and reflected by patient satisfaction. A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design without a control group was applied. The intervention consisted of several facets: 1) formal educational sessions twice a week for six weeks, 2) an angel-master mentorship activity, and 3) posts of exemplary caring behavior and stories. A demographic questionnaire, the Modified Nurse Caring Behaviors Inventory, and the Hartford Hospital Satisfaction Survey were used in this study. Descriptive statistics were analyzed to evaluate participant demographic characteristics. Paired t tests were used to determine the effects of a care workshop on nurse caring behaviors as perceived by patients and reflected by patient satisfaction. Of the 236 patients enrolled, 49.6% were women and 57.2% were admitted to medical-surgical units. Female patients rated nurse caring behaviors higher and reported greater patient satisfaction than did male patients on the pretest (p < 0.05) and 6-week posttest (p < 0.01). Patient with medical-surgical admissions rated nurse caring behaviors higher and reported greater patient satisfaction than patients with emergency admissions did on the pretest and 6-week posttest (p < 0.01). Nurse caring behaviors and patient satisfaction were positively correlated on the pretest (p < 0.05) and 6-week posttest (p < 0.01). Patient satisfaction scores increased after the intervention compared with the pretest scores (p = 0.000). Caring educational programs for nurses are commonly regarded to be an essential strategy for promoting care knowledge and practice and improving patient satisfaction. According to the favorable results of this study, care workshops must be provides to nurses in other units or hospitals in future studies.

Highlights

In the mid to late twentieth century, nursing care shifted from a mechanistic paradigm to a caring-healing paradigm in the healthcare system
Wolf (2012) [5] searched 2709 references and found the quality of nursing care is associated with both nurse caring behavior and patient satisfaction, but few intervention studies have examined improving the caring behavior of nurses and the effect of caring behavior on patient satisfaction outcomes
Patient with medical-surgical admissions rated nurse caring behaviors higher and reported greater patient satisfaction than patients with emergency admissions did on the pretest and 6-week posttest (p < 0.01)

Summary

Introduction

In the mid to late twentieth century, nursing care shifted from a mechanistic paradigm to a caring-healing paradigm in the healthcare system. Caring is essential for many reasons, and is considered crucial for nursing care quality [1]. Nurse caring behavior is a primary concern in high-quality nursing care and affects patient satisfaction outcomes. Wolf (2012) [5] searched 2709 references and found the quality of nursing care is associated with both nurse caring behavior and patient satisfaction, but few intervention studies have examined improving the caring behavior of nurses and the effect of caring behavior on patient satisfaction outcomes. Intervention studies focusing on nurse caring behavior and its effect on patients’ satisfaction are few in Taiwan.

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion