Children's satisfaction with nursing care during hospitalization: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Purpose: To assess hospitalized children's satisfaction with nursing care.

Design and methods: Cross-sectional study using the "Children Care Quality at Hospital" questionnaire. 61 children admitted to the Pediatrics Department of a hospital in the Northern Region of Portugal were enrolled.

Results: The ranged age of the participants was 6 to 15 (10,61 ± 2,66 years), and most were male (52.46%; n = 32). The mean score in the three domains was 128 (77.11%), reflecting children's high satisfaction with the nursing care provided during hospitalization. The domain most valued was Nurse Characteristics, while the least valued was Nursing Environment.

Conclusion: Results provide essential input for the dimensions to be considered when planning nursing care for children, managing care, and the physical environment in the wards.

Implications for practice: These results highlight the need to hear children's voices. This must encourage nurses to reflect on how children evaluate nursing care and, by doing so, to increase the quality of nursing care provided in Pediatrics settings.

Keywords: Hospitalized child; Nursing care; Patient satisfaction; Pediatrics.