Patient Satisfaction Study at AOU Maggiore Della Carità (SCORE)

Background:

Patient satisfaction is increasingly recognized as a key indicator of healthcare quality, complementing traditional clinical outcomes. It influences treatment adherence, the patient-provider relationship, length of hospital stay, occurrence of adverse events, and overall trust in healthcare institutions. Satisfaction is a multidimensional construct shaped by individual, environmental, and organizational factors, with communication and relational skills of nursing staff playing a central role. Personalized care and patient empowerment are essential determinants of a positive care experience.

The Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scales (NSNS), in its validated Italian version, provides a systematic and reliable method to assess patient perceptions of nursing care, allowing comparisons across wards and clinical contexts.

Study Objectives:

This study aims to systematically capture patients' perceptions of nursing care in the ordinary wards of AOU Maggiore della Carità, identifying strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Primary Objective: To evaluate overall patient satisfaction with nursing care, exploring how individual characteristics and organizational factors may influence perceived quality.

Secondary Objective: To examine potential differences in patient satisfaction related to organizational and staffing characteristics.

Study Design:

This is a cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study. Data will be collected using the self-administered, anonymous NSNS questionnaire during ordinary hospitalization. Trained personnel will distribute and collect the questionnaires without influencing responses. No experimental interventions or digital tools will be used; the study relies on this standardized instrument to capture patients' experiences.

Data Handling and Analysis:

Data will be managed in accordance with privacy regulations and stored anonymously. Analyses will summarize patient and organizational characteristics and explore relationships between perceived quality of nursing care and relevant influencing factors. Results will be reported in aggregate to identify overall trends and insights useful for improving nursing practice.

Ethical Considerations:

The study protocol was approved by the Inter-institutional Ethics Committee of AOU Maggiore della Carità. All participants will provide informed consent, and any protocol amendments will be reported to the Ethics Committee.

Conclusions:

This study will provide a systematic assessment of patient satisfaction with nursing care in ordinary wards, generating reliable and comparable data on patient perceptions. Findings will inform organizational strategies and training initiatives aimed at promoting human-centered, personalized, and high-quality nursing care, ultimately enhancing patient experiences and outcomes.

Inclusion criteria

• Adult inpatients (age ≥ 18 years) admitted to ordinary wards of AOU Maggiore della Carità.
• Hospitalization for at least 48 hours at the time of questionnaire administration.
• Able to provide informed consent.
• Able to understand and speak Italian.

Exclusion criteria

• Hospitalization shorter than 48 hours.
• Age < 18 years.
• Cognitive impairment or clinical conditions preventing comprehension or autonomous completion of the questionnaire.
• Refusal or inability to provide informed consent.