Mothers satisfaction of hospital care in the pediatric ward of Kashan Shahid Beheshti hospital during 2010-11

Despite the importance of patient satisfaction as an indicator of care quality, no data are available on the satisfaction of mothers whose children admitted to hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate the mothers satisfaction of hospital care in the pediatric ward of Kashan Shahid Beheshti hospital. A descriptive study was conducted using the pediatric family satisfaction (PFS) questionnaire and through interviewing with 280 mothers during 2010-11. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and descriptive statistics. Mean maternal age of subjects was 28.04 years. Average age of admitted children was 2.4 years and the mean of hospital stay 4.97 days. The mothers were dissatisfied with doctors for not being available on time and their failure to notify the results of their childs tests. They were also dissatisfied with nurses for the lack of education about their childs treatment and also the lack of post-discharge care. The mothers were also dissatisfied with welfare services (e.g. providing an appropriate play room for children (71.4%). Average satisfaction scores for the medical, nursing and welfare staff were 22.25±6.19, 29.05±6.88 and 26.68±6.93, respectively. A significant relationship was observed between the child's disease and the mothers satisfaction (P<0.0001). Overall satisfaction with medical, nursing and welfare staff was low in pediatric ward of this hospital. Doctors and nurses attention to the quality of care can reduce the levels of dissatisfaction.