title: Patient satisfaction as a positive nursing outcome.
abstract: The purpose of this cross-sectional survey was to assess patient satisfaction and analyze its relationship to nurse staffing levels in 34 inpatient wards at 4 Finnish university hospitals. The patients were satisfied with their care in general. However, the proportion of registered nurses (RNs), the patient-to-RN ratio, and the RNs' working years were highly related to patient satisfaction. Eight patients per RN was the cut-off point for patient satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland. tarja.tervo-heikkinen@kuh.fi
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tervo-Heikkinen
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kvist
authors.forename: Pirjo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Partanen
authors.forename: Katri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vehviläinen-Julkunen
authors.forename: Pirjo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aalto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012044:Regression Analysis