No abstract

Nurses have the most contact with patients and therefore play vital roles in their satisfaction with health care services. The current study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with nursing care in Calabar, Nigeria using the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale. One hundred eighty-five patients were surveyed, with a mean age of 33.5 ( SD = 9.4 years). Mean percentage satisfaction score was 60.4% ( SD = 19.2%). Eighty-two (44.3%) patients were dissatisfied with nursing care. Common areas of dissatisfaction were type of information nurses provided (54.6%), privacy nurses provided (52.4%), time spent with patient (51.4%), and nurses' helpfulness to patient (51.4%). Prevalence of dissatisfaction was more common among respondents who were 40 or younger, as well as among males ( p < 0.05). There was a high prevalence of dissatisfaction with psychiatric nursing care in the current study setting. Areas of dissatisfaction and their implications for improvement in nursing care in developing countries are discussed. [ Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58 (5), 50–55.]