The relationship between patient satisfaction and selected variables in ambulatory surgical patients

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of selected variables (i.e., collection of patient information by the nurse via computer; the patient's preoperative reported anxiety; postoperative pain; satisfaction with pain management; patient satisfaction following pre-admission; age; number of previous hospitalizations; and patient computer use) with patient satisfaction. This study attempted to determine whether (a) the ambulatory surgical patient's reported anxiety changes between the preoperative and postoperative period; (b) there is a difference between the reported anxiety scores of patients treated in computerized or non-computerized hospital settings; and (c) patients with less pain at the time of discharge have how ratings of satisfaction with their pain management.

A descriptive correlational study was conducted in two hospital settings with 130 ambulatory surgical patents. The study hospitals differed in that one was computerized (i.e., the nurse used a computer when collecting and recording patient information) and one was not. Data were collected at pre-admission and postoperatively using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1982), Patient Data Form, Pain Questionnaire and Patient Satisfaction Instrument (PSI) (Risser, 1975). The PSI was modified for this study. The nurses (N = 16) in the outpatient surgery departments completed the Nurse Demographic Data Form.

The patient sample (N = 130) differed in age and computer use between the two hospitals. The nurse sample differed in the number with computers in their home and satisfaction with nursing. A Spearman rank-order correlation indicated that those patients who reported higher postoperative pain also indicated higher patient satisfaction (rs = .22, p = .01). A point biserial correlation indicated a significant correlation between patient satisfaction and the computerized hospital (r pb = .22, p = .01). The sample in the computerized setting showed a higher mean patient satisfaction. Reported patient anxiety was not significantly different from pre-admission to postoperative period or between the study hospital samples. A Spearman rank-order correlation test suggested that if patients have more postoperative pain, they will rate their satisfaction with pain management lower (rs = −.49, p ≤ .00).