International journal of Nursing Education & Research

ASSESSMENT OF PATIENT’S PERCEPTION AND EXPECTATION TO WARDS NURSING CARE IN AYDER REFERRAL HOSPITAL, MEKELLE CITY, NORTHERN ETHIOPIA, 201; A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Lain Ghiwet and Kalayou Kidanu*

kalushaibex@yahoo.com

Nursing Practice, Nursing Care, Cross-sectional Study.

Nursing services is one of the most important components of hospital services which has two major objectives; nursing care of sick patient and prevention of disease and promotion of health. The anecdotal patients‟ care evaluation and media reports have portrayed negative publicity and image regarding nursing care in certain hospitals. Patients‟ perceptions regarding nursing care is thought to be the determinant of quality nursing care. Objective of the study was to assess patients‟ perceptions and expectations regarding nursing care during patient care. The study was conducted using institutional based cross-sectional study design at Ayder referral hospital Mekelle city, Ethiopia. The study population was patients admitted to the wards who fulfill the inclusion criteria of the study. Ethical clearance was secured from Mekelle University, college of health sciences, department of nursing Ethical clearance Committee. Data analysis was done using Microsoft excel spread sheet. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics and data was presented using tables and text. A total of 192 admitted patients approached and all questionnaires fully completed with a non response rate of 0.0%. Most of the participants were female with 108 (66.3%), age group of 20-29 yrs 59(30.7%). Most participants were married 118 (61.4%), farmer 113/58.8/, and had not attended any formal education 99 (51.5%). Most participants came from rural area 117/60.9%/ and 182(94.8%) was orthodox Christian. Almost in all characteristics, participants agreed with average response of more than 2.50 except characteristics harsh and rude, 44% and 40% respectively indicating that they were expecting nurses not to be rude or harsh. Majority of participants 87(45.3%) strongly agreed that they expected nurses to be cheerful. Patients expectations‟ to nurses were to be kind, friendly, knowledgeable, responsive, but did not expect nurses to be rude and harsh to them. Patients were not usually asked for informed consent. Most patients perceived that nursing care provided was good.