Client satisfaction with a nurse-managed clinic

To survive and thrive in today's competitive health-care market, health-care providers must evaluate outcomes of their services, including client satisfaction, then use this information to set standards. In the past, standards of care for the elderly were based on tradition rather than evaluation of their effect on outcomes (Thorsland, 1986). There are, therefore, few guidelines for evaluating outcomes of care in any setting and almost none for care of the elderly in nurse-managed centers. As a first step in evaluating client satisfaction in a nurse-managed clinic a focus group discussion was conducted with nine clients of the Nurse Education Link to Aged (NELA) Wellness Center. The focus group participants indicated that the Center had done an excellent job of meeting physical and emotional health needs of clients. Participants especially liked the location of the clinic in the apartment building where they live. Additional services requested by participants included programs for coping with depression and stress, alcoholism, and arthritis, and for increasing social interaction between men and women.     

Lessons learned: providing culturally competent care in a nurse-managed center.

The author discusses the conceptualization and implementation of a university and community sponsored nursing care center to meet the needs of the community. A case study is given illustrating the cogent points dealt with in the article.     

Nursing care delivered at academic community-based nurse-managed center

The academic community-based nurse-managed center (CNC) in this study represents an innovative "nontraditional" model of primary healthcare that seeks to improve access for vulnerable uninsured urban populations. This article describes the nature of the services delivered by an academic CNC, the users of these services, and interventions provided by nurses in the CNC.     

Patient satisfaction outcomes in nurse-managed centers

Patient satisfaction remains one of the critical benchmarks of primary care delivery. Although much of the research reporting outcomes related to nurse-managed centers (NMC) has included patient satisfaction, most of the reports have been limited to individual clinical settings. This study collected satisfaction data from 7 NMCs operated by 4 different academic institutions. Results demonstrated 3 components of patient satisfaction: patient perceptions of care, phone contact, and the patient's willingness to return to or recommend the clinic. Consistent with previous research, professional responsiveness and respect and courtesy from nurse practitioners were rated high on the composite satisfaction levels from a heterogeneous sample of consumers.     

Family satisfaction with care in the intensive care unit: results of a multiple center study

OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of satisfaction of family members with the care that they and their critically ill relative received. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Six university-affiliated intensive care units across Canada. METHODS: We administered a validated questionnaire to family members who made at least one visit to intensive care unit patients who received mechanical ventilation for >48 hrs. We obtained self-rated levels of satisfaction with 25 key aspects of care related to the overall intensive care unit experience, communication, and decision making. For family members of survivors, the questionnaire was administered while the patient was still in the hospital. For family members of nonsurvivors, the questionnaire was mailed out to the family member 3-4 wks after the patient's death. MAIN RESULTS: A total of 891 family members received questionnaires; 624 were returned (70% response rate). The majority of respondents were satisfied with overall care and with overall decision making (mean +/- sd item score, 84.3 +/- 15.7 and 75.9 +/- 26.4, respectively). Families reported the greatest satisfaction with nursing skill and competence (92.4 +/- 14.0), the compassion and respect given to the patient (91.8 +/- 15.4), and pain management (89.1 +/- 16.7). They were least satisfied with the waiting room atmosphere (65.0 +/- 30.6) and frequency of physician communication (70.7 +/- 29.0). The variables significantly associated with overall satisfaction in a regression analysis were completeness of information received, respect and compassion shown to the patient and family member, and the amount of health care received. Satisfaction varied significantly across sites. CONCLUSIONS: Most family members were highly satisfied with the care provided to them and their critically ill relative in the intensive care unit. Efforts to improve the nature of interactions and communication with families are likely to lead to improvements in satisfaction.     

Client expectations and satisfaction of quality in home care services. A consumer perspective

This study examines clients' expectations of quality in home care services and their perceived satisfaction with services among a random sample of 76 home care recipients in Vancouver, Canada. The researchers conducted face-to-face interviews that applied Multiattribute Utility Technology, a procedure that organizes several quality attributes of "ideal" home care into a tree structure to compare their relative importance and ranking from the clients' perspective. Participants also were asked to state their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the services received in these domains. Among the five main quality attributes identified, the subjects ranked suitability of the home helper and its subset, personal competence, as the most important indicators of quality, followed by continuity in service. In addition, clients tended to have a high level of satisfaction with regard to the attributes of overall home care services. The highest level of satisfaction was reported for elements of personal dispositions of home care staff. The lowest level of satisfaction involved the time/availability components of the service. Finally, comparisons between client expectations and satisfaction of received home care services showed the highest discrepancy for the attributes of influence and time/availability and the greatest congruence for personal attributes of the staff. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the delivery of home care services.     

Integrated primary and mental health care: evaluating a nurse-managed center for clients with serious and persistent mental illness

Nurse-managed centers have been at the forefront of providing ambulatory care alternatives for underserved populations lacking access to care. Following this model, the Center for Integrated Health Care of the College of Nursing at the University of Illinois in Chicago delivers primary and mental health care services to a population of people with serious and persistent mental illness. The authors' experience illustrates the many rewards and challenges that nurse-managed centers face. This article describes their center's model of integrated care, examines selected performance indicators, and discusses the implications, opportunities, and challenges ahead.     

How to start a nurse-managed foot care clinic

The goals of a nurse-managed clinic are to prevent illness and encourage an active participation in health maintenance by increasing patient knowledge. A nurse-managed clinic that focuses on foot care presents an excellent opportunity to provide quality care to patients who are at risk by monitoring for debilitating foot conditions while teaching proper foot care techniques. It is well documented that foot care can prevent serious complications, such as amputation, making it essential for patients to be educated and receive professional foot care. This article addresses the development of a foot care clinic managed and staffed by nurses.     

Client satisfaction with nursing services. Evaluation in an occupational health setting.

Client satisfaction surveys have served as a valued appraisal tool of quality nursing care in various health care settings, but there is a paucity of published research using these tools in the occupational health setting. Employing a modified version of the SERVQUAL questionnaire, this study identified employees' current levels of satisfaction and perceived importance of nursing care provided by an occupational health program. Two hundred randomly selected employees were asked to participate by completing the survey, with 86 (43%) responding. Results indicated a positive correlation between client satisfaction and perceived importance of nursing care. Moderately high levels of client satisfaction existed in the sample. The use of client satisfaction surveys based on the strength of client preferences could identify areas of health care that need improvement.