Keywords
patient-centered care
inpatient experience
cardiology
neurology
therapeutic communication
How to Cite
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background: Communication is a recurrent component of inpatient nursing care, yet patient-reported communication quality can vary across clinical contexts and across specific relational behaviours.
Objective: This study examined perceived nursing communication among adult Cardiology and Neurology inpatients, compared departmental scores, and identified communication behaviours that were experienced more or less favourably.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional comparative design was used with 124 adult inpatients, equally allocated to Cardiology (n = 62) and Neurology (n = 62). Participants completed a 10-item Perceived Nursing Communication Questionnaire assessing clarity, comprehensibility, listening, respect, responsiveness, empathy, comfort in asking questions, reassurance, non-verbal attentiveness, and checking understanding. Total scores ranged from 10 to 50. Descriptive statistics, internal-consistency analysis, Welch’s independent-samples t test, effect size estimation, and supplementary associations with demographic and hospitalization characteristics were examined.
Results: The mean communication score was 31.77 (SD = 8.78; range = 13–50), and internal consistency was good (Cronbach’s α = .891). Respectful communication had the highest item mean (M = 3.38), whereas comfort in asking questions (M = 2.92) and empathy (M = 2.98) were lower. Cardiology participants reported somewhat higher communication scores (M = 33.08, SD = 8.91) than Neurology participants (M = 30.45, SD = 8.51), but the difference was not statistically significant, Welch’s t(121.75) = 1.68, p = .096, d = .30.
Conclusion: Patient perceptions were broadly comparable across departments, but item-level findings indicate potentially actionable gaps in psychological safety and empathic communication. Behaviour-specific patient feedback may be more useful for quality improvement than broad departmental ranking.
References
Ahmed, F., Burt, J., & Roland, M. (2014). Measuring patient experience: Concepts and methods. The Patient, 7(3), 235–241. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40271-014-0060-5
Al Sulaimi, H. J. M., Brooks, L., Furber, L., & Kerr, D. (2026). Measurement of the quality of nurses’ communication with patients during acute hospitalisation: A systematic review. Patient Education and Counseling, 149, 109590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2026.109590
Epstein, R. M., & Street, R. L., Jr. (2011). The values and value of patient-centered care. Annals of Family Medicine, 9(2), 100–103. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1239
Institute of Medicine. (2001). Crossing the quality chasm: A new health system for the 21st century. National Academies Press.
Jesus, T. S., Zhang, M., Lee, D., Stern, B. Z., Struhar, J., Heinemann, A. W., Jordan, N., & Deutsch, A. (2025). Improving patient experience with provider communication: Systematic review of interventions, implementation strategies, and their effectiveness. Medical Care, 63(8), 545–554. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000002158
Kelley, J. M., Kraft-Todd, G., Schapira, L., Kossowsky, J., & Riess, H. (2014). The influence of the patient-clinician relationship on healthcare outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLOS ONE, 9(4), e94207. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0094207
Kourkouta, L., & Papathanasiou, I. V. (2014). Communication in nursing practice. Materia Socio-Medica, 26(1), 65–67. https://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2014.26.65-67
Kwame, A., & Petrucka, P. M. (2021). A literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient interactions: Barriers, facilitators, and the way forward. BMC Nursing, 20, 158. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00684-2
Li, Y., Liu, S., Cai, Y., Cun, W., Zhang, X., & Jiang, Y. (2025). Effectiveness of nursing interventions on patient experiences with health care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Nursing Review, 72(3), e13075. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.13075
Mishel, M. H. (1988). Uncertainty in illness. Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 20(4), 225–232. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.1988.tb00082.x
Street, R. L., Jr., Makoul, G., Arora, N. K., & Epstein, R. M. (2009). How does communication heal? Pathways linking clinician-patient communication to health outcomes. Patient Education and Counseling, 74(3), 295–301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2008.11.015
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Cortexplore