Abstract
BackgroundThe relationship between nurses’ job satisfaction and their perceptions of quality of care has been examined in previous studies. There is little evidence, however, about relationships between the job satisfaction of nursing staff and quality of care perceived by the patients. The aim of this study was to analyze, how the job satisfaction of nursing staff, organizational characteristics (hospital and unit type), and patients’ age relate to patients’ perceptions of the quality of care.MethodsThe study was cross-sectional and descriptive, based on a secondary analysis of survey data acquired during the At Safe study in Finland. The study included 98 units at four acute care hospitals between autumn 2008 and spring 2009. The participants were 1909 patients and 929 nursing staff. Patients’ perceptions of quality of care were measured using the 42-item RHCS questionnaire. Job satisfaction of nursing staff was measured with the 37-item KUHJSS scale. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, t-tests, analysis of variance, linear regression, and multivariate analysis of variance.ResultsPatients’ perceptions of overall quality of care were positively related to general job satisfaction of nursing staff. Adequate numbers of staff appeared to be the clearest aspect affecting quality of care. Older patients were more satisfied with staff number than younger patients. Patients cared for in outpatient departments felt more respected than patients in wards, whereas patients in wards reported better care of basic needs (e.g., hygiene, food) than outpatients.ConclusionsThe evaluation of resources by nursing staff is related to patients’ perceptions of the adequacy of nursing staff levels in the unit. The results emphasize the importance of considering patients’ perceptions of the quality of care and assessments by nurses of their job satisfaction at the hospital unit level when evaluating quality of care.
Highlights
The relationship between nurses’ job satisfaction and their perceptions of quality of care has been examined in previous studies
Previous studies have shown that the job satisfaction of nursing staff is related to their evaluation of the quality of care provided in their hospital unit [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]
We examined hospital (A-D) and unit type in relation to patients’ perceptions of the quality of care in addition to the job satisfaction of nursing staff
Summary
The relationship between nurses’ job satisfaction and their perceptions of quality of care has been examined in previous studies. Previous studies have shown that the job satisfaction of nursing staff is related to their evaluation of the quality of care provided in their hospital unit [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. It is an emotional state that is enhanced by achieving desired results at work [12] and the are unable to carry out nursing interventions to an appropriate standard, they will not be satisfied with their jobs [4,24,25] This suggests that the quality of care can be improved by adjusting factors that affect job satisfaction [26,27,28]. Midwife, public health nurse, physiotherapist, radiographer, 74.7 lab nurse Practical nurse
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