Three Keys to Patient Satisfaction: Nursing, Nursing, and Nursing

Abstract

The title of this article might at first seem like a bit of an exaggeration, and indeed it is, but no more so than the time-honored real estate mantra: location, location, location. Those in the real estate business have learned firsthand that although other factors have some influence on consumer preference, in the end, they pale in comparison with the impact of one factor in particular—property location. Similarly, those with first-hand experience in the field of healthcare realize that there are a host of factors that play a role in determining patient satisfaction; however, when all is said and done, it is the influence of nursing services that has by far the most significant impact. Most staff nurses have a general understanding of this importance, but many have a less than full appreciation of just how strong it is. Even more importantly, hospital boards, medical staffs, senior management, and nursing leadership need to have a clear understanding of this relationship since there is now ample evidence that as staff nurse job satisfaction goes, so goes patient satisfaction. This important association has proven to be direct, pervasive, and consistent over time. 1 Kutney-Lee A McHugh MD Sloane DM et al. Nursing: a key to patient satisfaction. Health Aff (Millwood). 2009; 28: 669-677 Crossref PubMed Scopus (258) Google Scholar , 2 Larrabee JH Ostrow CL Withrow ML Janney MA Hobbs Jr., GR Burant C Predictors of patient satisfaction with inpatient hospital nursing care. Res Nurs Health. 2004; 27: 254-268 Crossref PubMed Scopus (119) Google Scholar The title of this article might at first seem like a bit of an exaggeration, and indeed it is, but no more so than the time-honored real estate mantra: location, location, location. Those in the real estate business have learned firsthand that although other factors have some influence on consumer preference, in the end, they pale in comparison with the impact of one factor in particular—property location. Similarly, those with first-hand experience in the field of healthcare realize that there are a host of factors that play a role in determining patient satisfaction; however, when all is said and done, it is the influence of nursing services that has by far the most significant impact. Most staff nurses have a general understanding of this importance, but many have a less than full appreciation of just how strong it is. Even more importantly, hospital boards, medical staffs, senior management, and nursing leadership need to have a clear understanding of this relationship since there is now ample evidence that as staff nurse job satisfaction goes, so goes patient satisfaction. This important association has proven to be direct, pervasive, and consistent over time. 1 Kutney-Lee A McHugh MD Sloane DM et al. Nursing: a key to patient satisfaction. Health Aff (Millwood). 2009; 28: 669-677 Crossref PubMed Scopus (258) Google Scholar , 2 Larrabee JH Ostrow CL Withrow ML Janney MA Hobbs Jr., GR Burant C Predictors of patient satisfaction with inpatient hospital nursing care. Res Nurs Health. 2004; 27: 254-268 Crossref PubMed Scopus (119) Google Scholar