PATIENT AND FAMILY PERCEPTION AND SATISFACTION WITH QUALITY NURSING CARE IN GHANA; A STUDY AT KORLE BU TEACHING HOSPITAL

Abstract

Nursing care is a major component of the health services because it is one of the determinants of quality health services. Patients’ perceptions regarding nursing care is thought to be the determinant of quality nursing care. In response to the current gaps in research evidence, this study aimed to explore patients and family’s perceptions and satisfactions of the quality of nursing care and related hospital services among Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital inpatients in order to improve the quality of care in the hospital. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was used as a research design to elicit data from a sample of one hundred and fifty patients and/or family members, thus, a survey questionnaire was employed for the data collection. Convenience sampling technique was used to select patients and family members who were willing to participate in the study. The results from the study revealed that patients and/or family members are expecting nurses to be kind, cheerful, positive, responsive, not being harsh, honest, empathetic, friendly, polite, not being rude, respectful, demonstrating knowledge and competent at work, and meeting all their needs. In conclusion, self-guarding patients’ privacy is the nursing responsibility. Nurses should be advocating for protection of patients’ rights from any abuse either by fellow nurses or other health professionals. The study recommends that nurses need to acquire customer care skills through organized seminars/trainings by the hospital management