ABSTRACT
Background: Respiratory patients in Greek Intensive Care Units and their caregivers are a valuable source of information about the sort of problems that patients in this state face and the specific needs they have.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to approach respiratory patients’ needs and assess their satisfaction with care provided in Greek Intensive Care Units according to the views of Intensive Care Unit staff and patients.
Methods: A specifically developed questionnaire was given to both respiratory patients and Intensive Care Unit caregivers.The questionnaire consisted of 72 questions describing the following ten dimensions of needs: basic care, communication with staff, technical care, continuity of care, communication with relatives, interpersonal care, ethics, discomforts’ relief, participation in decision-making, and effectiveness of care.
Results: Mann-Whitney tests used showed that responses of patients and staff differed significantly in 86% of the questionnaire items. Statistically significant differences were also noted between the patients and staff on 8 from the 10 categories of needs where patients expressed more satisfaction with the intensive care compared with the staff.
Conclusions: Health professionals and respiratory patients have different opinions about the level of care provided in Greek Intensive Care Units.The findings support that patient satisfaction increases when patient needs are identified and met. Finally, this study hopes to provide impetus and direction for a better understanding of respiratory patients’ needs as a step to quality care in Intensive Care Units.
Keywords: Intensive Care Unit,patient satisfaction,patient needs,quality care,respiratory nursing.
