Investigation of Views and Care Behaviors Among Patients and Nurses in Surgical and Internal Medicine Departments in Greece

Aim: To investigate the behaviors, opinions and expectations of nurses and patients regarding nursing care. Material and Method: The study involved 100 patients selected by convenience sampling and 100 nurses selected by purposive sampling in surgical and internal medicine departments in two hospitals in Athens. Nurses completed demographic questionnaires, patients completed demographic and clinical questionnaires, and both groups completed the Greek version of the Caring Behaviors Inventory (CBI-24). Results: The patients’ mean age was 71.15±17.58 years, while the majority of nurses were 31–40 years old. Of the nurses, 73% were women and 80% had more than 10 years’ experience. Thirtyseven percent of the patients were bedridden and 63% had previous hospital admissions. The level of patient mobility appeared to have an impact on the “Assurance” (p=0.040) and “Respectful” (p<0.050) dimensions of the CBI scale. The sex of nurses (p=0.030), the department where they worked (p=0.002), their level of education (p=0.020) and their experience (p<0.050) appeared to have an effect on the overall scale, but also on individual dimensions. Nurses aged ≥41 had a higher score in the “Assurance” dimension than those aged <40 years (p=0.040). From a comparison of patients and nurses, a statistically significant difference was observed in the “Respectful” subscale, where patients scored higher than nurses (p=0.003). Conclusions: Differences between the views of patients and nurses and their expectations regarding care should be investigated with a view to bridging them, and thus increasing patient satisfaction.