Influences on Patient Satisfaction Among Patients Who Use Emergency Departments Frequently for Pain-Related Complaints

Emergency nurses can influence patient satisfaction scores by promoting clean, caring environments and prioritizing patient flow and pain management. ED providers can withhold opioids when appropriate without fear of a significant impact on patient satisfaction.Contribution to Emergency Nursing Practice
- Patient satisfaction with nursing care in the emergency department overall is dependent on wait time, precautions taken to protect patient safety, ability of staff to convey that they care about the patient as a person, and compassion shown by caregivers.
- Patient satisfaction with physicians is more dependent on ED cleanliness, pain control, wait time, and satisfaction with nursing care than on prescriptions for medication.
- Nurses can advocate for ED pain management protocols that align with best practices to limit opioid use without fear of poor patient satisfaction.
- Caring, clean, efficient ED environments are linked to improved patient satisfaction.