Quality of nursing care: Predictors of patient satisfaction in a national sample.

AIM: To assess patients' satisfaction with the quality of nursing care and the relationship between patients' characteristics and their level of satisfaction. DESIGN: A descriptive correlational cross-sectional design was used in this study. METHODS: Convenient sampling was utilized to include 1014 inpatients from six hospitals in Jordan: three private hospitals; two governmental hospitals; and one university-affiliated hospital. The data collection process occurred from September 2022 to January 2023. The data were collected using the Arabic version of the Patients' Satisfaction with Nursing Care Quality Questionnaire. The data were analysed using Pearson correlation, t-test, one-way ANOVA and multiple hierarchal regression. RESULTS: The study included 1014 patients with an average age of 51.3 (SD = 18.6), and 59.9% were females. More than two thirds of the sample reported having health insurance, and 62.7% were unemployed. The mean total score of patients' satisfaction with nursing care quality (NCQ) was 68.2 (SD = 12.9), indicating high satisfaction. Higher-income levels (p < 0.001), higher education levels (p = 0.003), having health insurance (p < 0.001), being admitted to private hospitals (p < 0.001), being admitted to critical care units (p = 0.002), being in a single room (p = 0.001), excellent perceived health status (p < 0.001) and willingness to recommend the hospital to family and friends (p < 0.001) were significant predictors of patients' satisfaction with NCQ. CONCLUSIONS: Patient and hospital environment characteristics affected patients' satisfaction with NCQ. Hospital management should consider these characteristics to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Policymakers and hospital management should consider improving the physical environment of their facilities to improve patients' satisfaction. Continuous professional development should emphasize nurses' communication skills to enhance their abilities to deliver information to their patients. IMPACT: This study examined levels and predictors of patients' satisfaction with the quality of nursing care. The results indicated that improving patients' satisfaction can be achieved by focusing on areas of nurses' communication skills and explaining information to patients. REPORTING METHOD: The study adhered to STORBE guidelines for reporting observational studies. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Hospitalized patients contributed to the data of this study. Hospital administrators facilitated its implementation.

Rebuilding the health sector in Gaza: alternative humanitarian voices.

In November 2023, a variety of disparate health organizations formed an international coalition to consolidate efforts and develop collaborative strategies in response to the increasing critical healthcare challenges caused by the recent war in Gaza. The coalition includes medical and public health experts, humanitarian practitioners, academics, and health policy-makers from across the world. Their membership has not much to do with mainstream humanitarian organisations. It is lead by the diaspora from the region. Their vision is the long-term reconstruction of the health system in Gaza while responding the most urgent needs. This collective effort will require explicit efforts to speak with one voice and avoid duplication. This collective movement may be an orginal initiative that may be able to beat the expected international donor fatigue.

An Evaluation of the Impact of Increasing the Awareness of the WHO Access, Watch, and Reserve (AWaRe) Antibiotics Classification on Knowledge, Attitudes, and Hospital Antibiotic Prescribing Practices.

The study aims to determine the effect of enhancing knowledge and awareness of the WHO Access, Watch, and Reserve (AWaRe) antibiotics classification on hospital clinical staff's knowledge, attitudes and antibiotic prescribing practices. A pre-post-intervention study design was employed. The intervention was an educational activity that involved teaching physicians and pharmacists about the AWaRe classification and the risk of antibiotic resistance. A questionnaire was administered to clinical staff pre-and post-intervention. In the pre-interventional stage, 78.5% of participants stated they had not heard about the AWaRe classification of antibiotics. After receiving the intervention: the knowledge regarding the meaning and purpose of AWaRe classification of antibiotics increased from 39.1% to 75.4%; the percentage of participants who agreed with following the AWaRe classification of antibiotics in their practice increased from 21.7% to 58.5%; and the percentage of participants who agreed that AWaRe classification of antibiotics can suggest safe choices of antibiotics increased from 56.5% to 90.8%. Hospital antibiotic use of the Access group increased by 6.6% from pre- to post-intervention. The use of the Watch group and Reserve group decreased post-intervention by 1.7%, and 43.1%, respectively. This study showed important gaps in knowledge and attitudes towards AWaRe, highlighting the need for increasing the awareness of the AWaRe tool amongst healthcare practitioners to ensure rational use of antibiotics.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Healthcare Workers in Jordan towards the COVID-19 Vaccination.

The rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines raises concerns over vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers (HCWs) and the general public, which made understanding the factors influencing hesitancy crucial in the maintenance of a solid healthcare system. This cross-sectional study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) of Jordanian HCWs to the COVID-19 vaccine from February to March 2021, using a self-administered questionnaire validated by a panel of public health experts. A total of 364 Jordanian HCWs were included in the final analysis, in which women accounted for 48.8% of the total sample. HCWs subjected to the seasonal flu vaccine were significantly more likely to uptake the COVID-19 vaccine. In comparison to nurses, physicians were significantly more likely to take or register for the vaccine. They demonstrated significantly higher knowledge of the vaccine's effectiveness, side effect profile, recommended doses, and target population. Among our participants, the most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy include a lack of confidence, inadequate knowledge, and disbelief in effectiveness. Vaccine hesitancy among Jordanian HCWs is low, with discrepancies between nurses and physicians. It is pertinent for independent committees and trusted authorities to provide interventions and raise awareness regarding the vaccine's safety and efficacy.

The Psychological Effects of Physicians' Communication Skills on COVID-19 Patients.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected physician-patient communication (PPC) in multiple ways. This study aims to report on the impact of physician-patient communication (PPC) skills on COVID-19 patients' psychology in Jordan. SAMPLE AND METHODS: In this study, two questionnaires were designed. The first questionnaire targeted physicians, with 72 responses, and the second questionnaire targeted patients, with 248 responses. Both questionnaires contained common sections covering nine aspects of communication such as empathy, honesty, optimism, simple and deliberateness. RESULTS: This study found that the psychological effect of physicians' positive communication skills on COVID-19 patients is significant. There were almost statistical agreement between physicians' and patients' questionnaire responses that the physicians' communication skills have positively affected the patients' psychological status; all patients' responses confirmed this finding. CONCLUSION: Based on this study's findings, appropriate and continuous training will advance physicians' communication skills in the form of exercises that could be as simple as class- or lecture-based activities, or using technology-based learning. Using a protocol or handbook to guide such communication is another essential strategy to enhance physician-patient communication (PPC). The study recommends that physicians must be aware that PPC skills required may vary depending on whether they are dealing with a pandemic or non-pandemic situation. Generally, appropriate or positive communication skills are considered one of the main factors effecting patients' psychological responses to their diagnosis.