title: Patients' perspective of quality of care in a high-dependency unit.
abstract: This study was designed to identify and explore the patients' perspective of the concept quality of care within the context of a high-dependency unit (HDU). Data were collected in two phases. In phase one, 55 patients were interviewed to clarify the concept quality of care. In phase two, 77 patients were interviewed to explore this concept in further detail. This study has clarified the patients' concept of quality of care into the principal constructs of the environment, meeting individual needs, staff attitudes and manners, organization of care, communication, staff skills and family and friends. It has been successful in providing patients with a voice to comment upon an aspect of service provision. A well-known concept has been clarified and applied to a high-dependency environment. This has identified the need for future evaluation of HDUs to go beyond traditional physiological measures, to incorporate the service experience itself and the impact it has upon the patients.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brooks
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001709:Biotechnology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014789:Visitors to Patients / Q000523:psychology