Abstract:
Background: patient satisfaction is considered as one of the desired outcomes of health care and
it is directly related with utilization of health services. The most important predictor of patients’
overall satisfaction with hospital care is particularly related to their satisfaction with nursing
care. However, there is dearth of published studies in the area. The aim of this study is to assess
the level and factors that determines adult inpatient satisfaction towards nursing care at
Felegehiwot Referral Hospital.
Methods: A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1-30, 2015. A
sample size of 244 inpatients was determined using single population proportion formula
including 10% non response rate. Simple random sampling method was used to select
participants. Interviewer administered questionnaire was employed to collect data using the
adapted Newcastle Satisfaction Scale with nursing services. Data was analyzed using SPSS
version 16. Both bivariate and multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the effect of
independent variables on inpatients’ satisfaction with nursing care at 0.05 level of significance.
Result: A total 236 inpatients participated in the study yielding a response rate of 96.9%.
Participants who were farmers, rural residents, and female took the greater percentage. The
overall level of satisfaction was 44.9%. Sex and occupation, were the only predictors of patient
level of satisfaction with nursing care. Among satisfaction items, the amount, nurses know your
care (78%), the nurse’s helpfulness (55%), and nurses’ treatment of patients as an individual
(54%) were the three top scores respectively. whereas nurses response to patients request
(42.6%), the amount and type of information nurses gave to patients about their condition and
treatment (43.2%), and the way nurses explain things to patients (43.4%) had the least scores.
Conclusion: The level of inpatient satisfaction with nursing care was low. Inpatients were less
informed about their disease condition, treatment, and prognosis by nurses since it is essential
for making decision related with their care. The hospitals should consider mechanisms to
improve the nurses’ way of communication and interpersonal relationships beyond training on
direct p
