Patients’ Satisfaction with Male Nurses: Evidence from a Teaching Hospital in Ghana.

Abstract

Objectives: In an effort to contribute to the literature on improving nursing care and patient satisfaction, this study sought to evaluate patients’ satisfaction and identify their priorities among the service quality dimensions from the nursing care received from male versus female nurses in Ghana’s premier and largest tertiary teaching hospital, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).

Methodology: The study adopted a quantitative research approach with a comparative study design. The study sites comprised of the accident and orthopaedic, chest, medical and surgical departments at KBTH. A total of 407 in-patients who had been on admission at these departments for at least 4 days and 4 nights were included in the study. The SERVQUAL model was adapted in measuring patient satisfaction.

Results: Patients were more satisfied with the health care they received from the male nurses than the female nurses. Overall aggregate score for male nurses was 860.00 with a mean (SD) of 4.20 (±0.57). Overall aggregate score for female nurses was 800.00 with a mean (SD) of 3.96 (±0.64). The independent sample t test showed a significant difference ( in the mean values from the two groups. CFA of the model showed in order of priority that, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, reliability and tangibility were significant contributors to patients’ satisfaction.

Conclusion: By integrating the dimensions of service quality into their services, hospitals in Africa could benefit from improved quality of service, patient retention and loyalty, market share and profitability.