Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026
E-Patient Counseling Trial E-PACO: Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
Published on: August 1, 2019
Satisfaction with emergency department service among non-English-speaking background patients
Ibrahim Mahmoud1, Xiang-Yu Hou, Kevin Chu
1School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Objective:
The present study aims to investigate non-English-speaking background (NESB) patients' satisfaction with hospital ED service and compare it with that of English-speaking background (ESB) patients.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the ED of an adult tertiary referral hospital in Queensland, Australia. Patients assigned an Australasian Triage Scale score of 3, 4 or 5 were surveyed in the ED, before and after their ED service. Pearson χ(2) -test and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the differences between the ESB and NESB groups in terms of patient-reported satisfaction.
Results:
In total, 828 patients participated in the present study. Although the overall satisfaction with the service was high - 95.1% (ESB) and 90.5% (NESB) - the NESB patients who did not use an interpreter were less satisfied with their ED service than the ESB patients (odds ratio 0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.3-0.8, P = 0.013). The promptness of service received the lowest satisfaction rates (ESB 85.4% [82.4-88.0], NESB 74.5% [68.5-79.7], P < 0.001), whereas courtesy and friendliness received the highest satisfaction rates (ESB 98.8 [97.6-99.4], NESB 97.0 [93.9-98.5], P = 0.063). All participants reported the promptness of service (33.5%), quality and professional care (18.5%) and communication (17.6%) as the most important elements of ED service.
Conclusion:
The NESB patients were significantly less satisfied than the ESB patients with the ED service. Use of an interpreter improved the NESB patients' level of satisfaction. Further research is required to examine what NESB patients' expectations of ED service are.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:26Types of Reports III: Telephone and Verbal Reports
Here's an overview of each type:
Telephone Orders
01:14SBAR II: Application of SBAR
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
02:16Surveys
01:25Assessment of apical radial pulse
The A-R pulse assessment involves simultaneous evaluation of the apical and radial pulses. When the apical and radial pulse rates vary, this assessment helps identify a pulse deficit.
Pre-Procedural Preparation
01:08Obedience