Perception of the Quality of Nursing Care at the Francisco de Paula Santander Social Service Center

Abstract

Aim: To describe how a group of hospitalized users of medical specialties at the Francisco de Paula Santander Social Service Center, state-run institution in Cúcuta (Colombia), perceived the quality of nursing care during the second half of 2004.

Sample: 202 users of medical specialties, who met the criteria for participating in the study and agreed to participate by signing an informed consent form. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study with a quantitative focus.

Method: Patricia Larson’s Caring Assessment Instrument (Care-Q) was used. It included 50 questions divided into the following subitems related to the nurse’s behavior: he/she is accessible, explains and facilitates, comforts, is ahead of the patient’s needs, keeps a faithful relationship, monitors and follows up.

Results: The most important conduct perceived by users concerns the nurse’s ability to administer treatment and to give patients their medication on time, knowing how to inject and how to use parenteral equipment (for administering intravenous fluids), as well as suction machines and other equipment. Less important conduct includes asking the patient how he/she wishes to be called, sitting beside the patient, being good humored, offering reasonable choices and finding the best moment to talk about changes in the patient’s state of health.

Conclusion: Knowledge of the user’s perception makes it possible to evaluate the quality of care provided at health care facilities, so can be improved, become more competitive and satisfy the hospitalized patient’s needs and expectations from the standpoint of clinical medicine.