Patient satisfaction with nursing care in an Intensive Care Unit measured through the Nursing Intensive-Care Satisfaction Scale (NICSS)

Background

Patient satisfaction in relation with nursing care has become a key determinant of the quality of hospital care.

Objectives

To evaluate patient satisfaction in relation with nursing care in a critical care context; to determine the correlation between critical patient satisfaction and sociodemographic and clinical variables and to describe patient perceptions with nursing care.

Methods

A descriptive, prospective, correlational study which includes the analysis of some open questions in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary level university hospital. The degree of satisfaction of all patients discharged from de ICU was evaluated. It was used the validated Spanish version of Nursing Intensive-Care Satisfaction-Scale (NICSS). There were also collected sociodemographic and clinical data and 3 open questions were asked. It was used the inferential and descriptive statistics considering statistically significant p < .05. Open questions were examined using a language context analysis. The approval of the hospital ethical committee was obtained.

Results

111 patients agreed to participate, with a mean age of 64.18 years (CI 95% 61.36–66.88) and with a medium level of satisfaction of 5.83 (CI 95% 5.78−5.88) being 6 the maximum score. Women, older patients and those who reflect a higher degree of recovery, are those who reported greater satisfaction. Three main themes emerged from the analysis of the open-ended questions of the surveys: nurse patient relationship, professional practice environment and ICU nature.

Conclusion

Patient satisfaction in relation with nursing care was elevated. Age, sex and degree of recovery significantly influenced their perception. Nurse patient relationship and the professional practice environment were aspects highlighted by patients. The professional model incorporated by the institution may encouraged these results.