The Relationship Between Patients’ Perceptions of Illness and Their Satisfaction with Nursing Care

Background: Patients’ perceptions of illness and their satisfaction with nursing care significantly impact the overall quality of healthcare.

Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between hospitalized patients' perceptions of illness and their satisfaction with nursing care.

Methods: This descriptive and correlational study included a sample of hospitalized 255 patients. Data were collected using the Patient Identification Form, the Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale. Data collection was conducted through face-to-face surveys between July 2022 and July 2023. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 49.29±15.93 years, with an average hospital stay of 3.24±1.58 days and a mean number of hospitalizations of 2.07 ± 0.86. Among the participants, 59.6% were female, 75.3% were married, and 53.3% reported a middle income level. Pain (90.2%) and fatigue (63.5%) were the most frequently reported symptoms since the onset of illness. The mean total score of the “Opinions About the Illness” subscale was 117.53±10.41, while the mean score for the “Illness Causal Subscale” was 35.24±10.31. The mean total score on the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale was 63.81±12.18. A statistically significant, weak positive correlation was found between patients’ total scores on the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale and the Illness Identity Subscale, specifically, the item “I have experienced this symptom since the beginning of my illness” (r=0.244; p=0.000) and the item “This symptom is related to my disease” (r=0.253; p=0.000).

Conclusion: This study revealed that patients receiving inpatient care and treatment in internal medicine and surgical wards had below-average perceptions of their illness and moderate levels of satisfaction with nursing care. Based on these findings, it is recommended that educational programs be implemented to improve patients' illness perceptions, along with initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of nursing care.