Relationship of Hospitalized Elders' Perceptions of Nurse Caring Behaviors, Type of Care Unit, Satisfaction With Nursing Care, and Health Outcome of Functional Status

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated relationships among hospitalized elders' perceptions of nurse caring behaviors, the type of unit on which they received care, their satisfaction with nursing care, and their outcome of functional status. A predictive correlational nonexperimental design was used with a sample of 180 subjects, 90 from an acute care elder unit and 90 from a telemetry unit in an acute care medical center where new-nurse orientation included Nurses Improving Care for Health System Elders (NICHE) concepts of care. Elders' perceptions of nurse caring behaviors were correlated with satisfaction with nursing care (r[178] = 0.555, p = .000). Only one of seven hypotheses was supported. Type of care unit had no effect on elders' perceptions of nurse caring behaviors, satisfaction with care, or functional status outcome. Nurses who are taught how to care for acutely ill hospitalized elders are likely to demonstrate nurse caring behaviors that result in satisfaction with nursing care, better functional...