An assessment of nurse-patient therapeutic communication and patient satisfaction with nursing care in multiple healthcare settings: A study in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Effective therapeutic communication between nurses and patients is a fundamental element of high-quality healthcare. This study examines factors influencing therapeutic communication, including professional, contextual/situational, and patient-related aspects, while also assessing patient satisfaction with nursing care and the communication process.

Methods: Employing a correlational cross-sectional design, a sample of 80 nurses and 99 patients under their care was selected using purposive sampling methods. This study encompassed diverse healthcare settings in Hail, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through two survey questionnaires: the Nurse-Patient Therapeutic Communication Questionnaire for nurses and the Patient Satisfaction with Nursing Care Quality Questionnaire for patients. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS v29.0, with findings presented using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The professional dimension had a mean score of 5.56 ± 1.38, the contextual and situational dimension had a mean score of 5.69 ± 1.42, and the patient-related dimension had a mean score of 5.60 ± 1.46. Age, education level, and workplace significantly influenced all dimensions (all p < .001). Patient satisfaction scores ranged from 1.87 to 5.00, with an average score of 4.07 ± 0.72. Interestingly, patient satisfaction tended to increase with longer stays, r(97) = .23, p = .024, with the length of stay explaining 5.11% of the variability in patient satisfaction.

Conclusions: This study identifies three key dimensions—professional, contextual/situational, and patient-related—as significant factors in nurse-patient communication. Demographic variables, including age, education, and workplace, also played pivotal roles. Notably, patient satisfaction levels were consistently high and positively correlated with longer stays. To foster patient-centred care, it is recommended to prioritize customized communication training and sustain nurturing interactions throughout the patient's care journey.