Factors associated with patients' and companions' satisfaction with a hospital emergency department: A descriptive, cross-sectional study.
Aurora Fontova-Almató, Rosa Suñer-Soler, Dolors Juvinyà-Canal
PMID 31367406WHAT IT FOUND
Emergency department patients and companions rated satisfaction 7.6 of 10.
Scores were higher when perceived waits felt short, pain was controlled, and approximate wait time was given. Presence of pain alone was not linked to lower satisfaction.
Key findings
01Overall satisfaction with the emergency department visit averaged 7.6 on a 0 to 10 scale.
02Satisfaction was higher when users perceived the medical visit wait as short or very short and when they were informed about the approximate waiting time.
03Pain control was associated with higher satisfaction, while simply having pain was not.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study cannot show that waiting time, pain control or information caused satisfaction, because it measured associations after the visit. The mailed questionnaire had a 33.0% response rate, so respondents may not represent all users. People who left without being seen were excluded, and the authors note they may have been dissatisfied. Some questionnaire dimensions, including comfort, visiting, privacy and cleanliness, had lower reliability in this sample. The study was done in one general hospital in 2012, so results may not apply elsewhere.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these associations as proof that reducing perceived waiting time or improving pain control will cause higher satisfaction. This was a cross-sectional survey, so it can show relationships only.