Improving Patient Satisfaction by Addressing Same Day Surgery Wait Times

Wait times in same day surgery can create added stress to patients who are already anxious. Perianesthesia nurses understand the importance of patient satisfaction as they continually return to the bedside, answer questions, and meet patients’ needs. Nursing interventions to involve the patient and family can help decrease stress and dissatisfaction that occur when the patient is not updated about time changes. Defining quality care can be difficult when consumers and providers view things differently. Frequently, patients associate hospital stay satisfaction with the respect nurses demonstrate for their needs. Timeliness regarding surgical times is an important aspect when meeting consumers’ care expectations. The purpose of this paper is to describe the problems patients might have with surgical wait times and to suggest ways to enhance patient satisfaction.