Nursing efficiency in patient care: A comparative study in perception of staff nurse and hospital management in a trust hospital

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: While efficient use of resources and cost control is the responsibility of hospital managers, it is the duty of the nurses to carry out patient care and provide high-quality services. The aim of present research was to study the perception of staff nurses and nurse managers about nursing efficiency in patient care in a trust hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This quantitative and explanatory research has been done on staff nurses as well as nurse managers in a 550-bedded trust hospital in rural Gujarat of India. Data collection tool was a researcher made questionnaire and the data collection method was interview schedules for staff nurse and nurse managers. The total number of staff nurse in this hospital was 450 including 50 nurse managers. RESULTS: Staff nurses had shown dissatisfaction regarding managers’ practice and stated some aspects of managers practice which needed to improve such as keeping competitive salary for staff nurse, providing counseling system to supporting nursing practice, better recognition and acknowledgement system, better job security, providing supportive managerial style, better unit size and Applying vacation system. CONCLUSIONS: There was a difference between staff nurses’ perception and nurse managers’ perception regarding professional characteristics for nursing profession and factors, which affect nursing efficiency in patient care (with 95% confidence interval and P < 0.05).