Patient Satisfaction Is Linked to Nursing Workload in a Singapore Hospital

Abstract

No studies have examined the association between patient satisfaction and the allocation of nursing care hours using a workload management system. The aim of this study is to examine the correlation between inpatients’ perceived satisfaction with nursing care and nursing workload management in a Singapore hospital. A secondary data analysis was performed based on the results of 270 patients’ perceived satisfaction measured by the Revised Humane Caring Scale and nursing workload management data extracted from the TrendCare Patient Acuity System. Data were collected from March to October 2013. There were weak positive ( rs = .212 to rs = .120) and negative ( rs = −.120 to rs = −.196) correlations between patient satisfaction and nursing workload. Nursing leaders should build positive work environment through maximizing efficient resource allocation and adequate staffing to deliver safe patient care. Future studies could involve other patient outcomes such as incidences of fall and pressure ulcer.