Unit Characteristics and Patient Satisfaction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to discover if there was relationship between nurse perception of autonomy, control over practice, or relationships with physicians and patient satisfaction with care related to pain management, teaching, or physical care on medical surgical units. The study design was correlational, descriptive, and cross-sectional. The hospital sample was a purposive convenience sample of acute care hospitals in California, with a total of 21 hospitals, 60 medical surgical nursing units, 314 nurses, and 470 patients. Findings indicated that higher patient functional status and having a doctor in the hospital 24 hours/day were related to patient satisfaction with pain management. Lower nurse perception of autonomy, having a doctor in the hospital 24 hours/day, and higher number of patient years of education were related to higher patient satisfaction with teaching. Lower total hours worked by the nurses was related to higher patient satisfaction with physical care.