Abstract
BackgroundPatients and users experiences are useful for monitoring the quality of the hospital provisions and to improve health care delivery. Research results on associations between parental satisfaction and their socio-demographic status are inconclusive. We have also found a scarcity of research on the associations between parental satisfaction and standards of neonatal intensive care (NICU) services. We used the Neonatal Satisfaction Survey (NSS-8) to collect data to explore associations between parental satisfaction and socio-demographic variables and, associations between parents’ satisfaction and NICU care-services.MethodsA total of 568 parents from six different NICUs geographically dispersed in Norway completed the (NSS-8). All responses were rated and analysed using nonparametric analyses and logistic regression.ResultsSupport from families and friends is the most important sociodemographic area which links to reported levels of parental satisfaction. The most important areas for parents’ satisfaction with NICU care services include the decision making processes regarding the infant, respect and empathy from staff, and the continuity of treatment and care. Parents were least satisfied with how NICUs facilitate ongoing care for siblings, parents and infants during later stages of their hospital stay. Parents reported being in need of more guidance and training in meeting their child’s needs.ConclusionTo increase and sustain parents’ satisfaction with NICU care considerations should be given to separate elements of the total provision made for affected families. This study suggests that health personnel could address the needs of all family members as these evolve through phases of their stays in hospitals; be more attentive to parents with very preterm infants and parents with long NICU admissions; provide support to siblings; and give more attention to parents’ needs for continuity of care, follow-up, and information.
Highlights
Patients and users experiences are useful for monitoring the quality of the hospital provisions and to improve health care delivery
We found that the relationship between health personnel and parents is an important area for parental satisfaction with neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
The Neonatal Satisfaction Survey 8 (NSS-8) is a suitable tool for monitoring and spotting early stages of declining service standards, helping to identify specific questions that contribute to service decline
Summary
Patients and users experiences are useful for monitoring the quality of the hospital provisions and to improve health care delivery. We have found a scarcity of research on the associations between parental satisfaction and standards of neonatal intensive care (NICU) services. We used the Neonatal Satisfaction Survey (NSS-8) to collect data to explore associations between parental satisfaction and socio-demographic variables and, associations between parents’ satisfaction and NICU care-services. Parental experience is a crucial measure of service quality from the patients and parents’ perspective, and contributes to their overall satisfaction [3, 4]. These experiences might be useful for monitoring the quality of care in hospital wards and could point to ways of improving health care delivery [5]. Studies show significant associations between parental satisfaction with health care in
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