Quality of Nurse's Performance and Patients' Satisfaction in Cardiac Care Units

Background: Nurses legally and ethically have the responsibility for patients care and care
quality. Patients, in turn, have the right of getting a favorable and high-quality care. The first step
in planning programs for nursing care quality improvement, is reviewing its current quality level.
This study was, therefore, conducted to survey nurses’ performance quality and patients’
satisfaction in hospital cardiac care units.
Materials and Methods: An explanatory cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience
sample of 28 nurses and 70 patients from four Cardiac care units (CCU, PCCU) at two public
hospitals in Arak (Iran). Data were collected via a survey using nursing care quality checklists and
patients satisfaction questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis was undertaken to identify the
quality of nurses’ performance and patient’s contentment.
Results: Chi square and t-paired tests did not show any significant relationship between nurse's
demographic data and quality of nursing care and patient satisfaction. Also, results showed that
quality of nurse's performance was poor, intermediate, and good at rates of 28%, 64% and 8%
respectively. Of which quality of educational and therapeutic performances were strongest and
weakest of all respectively. Also, the majority of patients (71.42%) had relative satisfaction from
presented nursing cares.
Discussion: The results of a high-quality nursing care to patients have positive effects on
patients, care givers and nursing profession itself. Nurses as the biggest group in the health care
team, have a major role in care quality improvements and patients’ satisfaction; therefore, it is
necessary to take some actions to help them enhance their performances.