Unit characteristics and patient satisfaction: a multilevel model.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Experience

Background:

• Patient satisfaction is a key indicator of healthcare quality.
• Understanding factors influencing patient satisfaction is crucial for improving medical-surgical care.
• Nurse autonomy and physician collaboration are recognized as important elements in patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between nurse perceptions (autonomy, practice control, physician relationships) and patient satisfaction with pain management, teaching, and physical care.
• To identify specific nurse and hospital factors associated with patient satisfaction in medical-surgical settings.

Main Methods:

• Correlational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study design.
• Purposive convenience sample of 21 acute care hospitals in California.
• Data collected from 60 medical-surgical nursing units, 314 nurses, and 470 patients.

Main Results:

• Higher patient functional status and 24/7 physician availability correlated with increased satisfaction in pain management.
• Lower nurse perception of autonomy, 24/7 physician availability, and higher patient education levels were linked to greater satisfaction with teaching.
• Fewer total nurse hours worked was associated with higher patient satisfaction regarding physical care.

Conclusions:

• Patient satisfaction with pain management is influenced by patient health status and physician accessibility.
• Patient education and physician availability impact satisfaction with nursing-related teaching.
• Nurse workload and perceived autonomy are factors affecting patient satisfaction with physical care.