Predictors of patient satisfaction with inpatient hospital nursing care

The purpose of this predictive nonexperimental study was to investigate the influence of registered nurse (RN) job satisfaction, context of care, structure of care, patient-perceived nurse caring, and patient characteristics on patient satisfaction with inpatient hospital nursing care in an academic medical center in north-central West Virginia. Convenience samples of patients (N=362) and RNs (N=90) were recruited from two medical units, two surgical units, and three intensive care step-down units. Causal modeling identified patient-perceived nurse caring as the major Predictor of patient satisfaction, with nurse/physician (RN/MD) collaboration as the only other direct Predictor. Age had an indirect influence on patient satisfaction. Strategies to achieve and maintain patient satisfaction should address the enhancement of patient-perceived nurse caring and RN/MD collaboration. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.