Patient Satisfaction Study at AOU Maggiore Della Carità (SCORE) (SCORE)

March 10, 2026 updated by: Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro

Patient Satisfaction With Care: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study at AOU Maggiore Della Carità, Novara (SCORE)

The general aim of this study is to assess and analyze the level of patient satisfaction with nursing care among inpatients in the ordinary wards of the AOU Maggiore della Carità in Novara (Italy). Using the validated Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scales (NSNS), the study intends to produce reliable and comparable data that reflect patients' perceived quality of care across multiple dimensions, including relationships, emotional support, information, and time devoted by nurses. The study aims to provide an updated overview of patient experiences, identifying strengths and areas for improvement. These results will offer guidance for organizational and educational strategies to promote more personalized, human-centered nursing care aligned with international quality and safety recommendations, without altering routine clinical practice.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Detailed Description

Background:

Patient satisfaction is increasingly recognized as a key indicator of healthcare quality, complementing traditional clinical outcomes. It influences treatment adherence, the patient-provider relationship, length of hospital stay, occurrence of adverse events, and overall trust in healthcare institutions. Satisfaction is a multidimensional construct shaped by individual, environmental, and organizational factors, with communication and relational skills of nursing staff playing a central role. Personalized care and patient empowerment are essential determinants of a positive care experience.

The Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scales (NSNS), in its validated Italian version, provides a systematic and reliable method to assess patient perceptions of nursing care, allowing comparisons across wards and clinical contexts.

Study Objectives:

This study aims to systematically capture patients' perceptions of nursing care in the ordinary wards of AOU Maggiore della Carità, identifying strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Primary Objective: To evaluate overall patient satisfaction with nursing care, exploring how individual characteristics and organizational factors may influence perceived quality.

Secondary Objective: To examine potential differences in patient satisfaction related to organizational and staffing characteristics.

Study Design:

This is a cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study. Data will be collected using the self-administered, anonymous NSNS questionnaire during ordinary hospitalization. Trained personnel will distribute and collect the questionnaires without influencing responses. No experimental interventions or digital tools will be used; the study relies on this standardized instrument to capture patients' experiences.

Data Handling and Analysis:

Data will be managed in accordance with privacy regulations and stored anonymously. Analyses will summarize patient and organizational characteristics and explore relationships between perceived quality of nursing care and relevant influencing factors. Results will be reported in aggregate to identify overall trends and insights useful for improving nursing practice.

Ethical Considerations:

The study protocol was approved by the Inter-institutional Ethics Committee of AOU Maggiore della Carità. All participants will provide informed consent, and any protocol amendments will be reported to the Ethics Committee.

Conclusions:

This study will provide a systematic assessment of patient satisfaction with nursing care in ordinary wards, generating reliable and comparable data on patient perceptions. Findings will inform organizational strategies and training initiatives aimed at promoting human-centered, personalized, and high-quality nursing care, ultimately enhancing patient experiences and outcomes.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

250

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Italy
    • Novara
      • Novara, Novara, Italy, 28100

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of adult inpatients hospitalized in the ordinary wards of AOU Maggiore della Carità in Novara, Italy. Participants are recruited from all wards of the hospital to ensure a representative sample of patients receiving routine nursing care. The population reflects a diverse mix of medical and surgical admissions across the hospital, providing insights into patient experiences and satisfaction with nursing care in a real-world clinical setting.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adult inpatients (age ≥ 18 years) admitted to ordinary wards of AOU Maggiore della Carità.
  • Hospitalization for at least 48 hours at the time of questionnaire administration.
  • Able to provide informed consent.
  • Able to understand and speak Italian.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Hospitalization shorter than 48 hours.
  • Age < 18 years.
  • Cognitive impairment or clinical conditions preventing comprehension or autonomous completion of the questionnaire.
  • Refusal or inability to provide informed consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Ordinary Ward Inpatients Cohort
This cohort includes all adult inpatients hospitalized in the ordinary wards of AOU Maggiore della Carità during the study period who meet the inclusion criteria and provide informed consent. All participants complete the validated Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scales (NSNS) questionnaire. This is a single, cross-sectional observational cohort with no follow-up or intervention assignment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Overall Patient Satisfaction With Nursing Care
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours of stay in ordinary wards.
Measured using the validated Italian version of the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scales (NSNS), including all subscales: Carelessness, Emotional Support, Relationship and Information, and Caring Times. Participants rate items on 7-point and 5-point Likert scales as per NSNS protocol. Scores are summed and transformed to a 0-100 scale, where 100 indicates the highest possible satisfaction.
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours of stay in ordinary wards.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Patient age
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours of stay in ordinary wards

Age of the patient at the time of hospitalization. Used to describe associations with overall patient satisfaction.

Units of Measure: Years
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours of stay in ordinary wards
Patient sex
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Biological sex of the patient, recorded to explore associations with overall patient satisfaction. Units of Measure: Categorical (Male / Female)
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Employment status
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards

Current employment status of the patient, recorded to explore associations with overall patient satisfaction.

Units of Measure: Categorical (Employed / Unemployed / Retired / Other)
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Presence of caregiver
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards

Whether the patient has a primary caregiver available, recorded to explore associations with overall patient satisfaction.

Units of Measure: Categorical (Yes / No)
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Number of comorbidities
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards

Count of diagnosed comorbid conditions for the patient, recorded to explore associations with overall patient satisfaction.

Units of Measure: Count
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Number of previous hospitalizations
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards

Count of prior hospitalizations for the patient, recorded to explore associations with overall patient satisfaction.

Units of Measure: Count
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Nurse-to-patient ratio
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards

Average number of nurses per patient on the ward during hospitalization, recorded to explore associations with overall patient satisfaction.

Units of Measure: Nurses per patient (ratio)
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Support staff availability
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards

Number of support staff available on the ward during hospitalization, recorded to explore associations with overall patient satisfaction.

Units of Measure: Staff members
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Nursing Care model
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Type of care model implemented in the ward, recorded to explore associations with overall patient satisfaction. Units of Measure: Categorical (Team nursing / Primary nursing / Functional nursing)
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards
Nursing shift type
Time Frame: Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards

Type of nursing shift pattern in the ward, recorded to explore associations with overall patient satisfaction.

Units of Measure: Categorical (8-hour / 12-hour / Rotating)
Single assessment during hospitalization, after at least 48 hours in ordinary wards

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro

Collaborators

Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Maggiore della Carita

Investigators

  • Study Director: Alberto Dal Molin, AOU Maggiore della Carità - Novara; University of Piemonte Orientale

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

April 9, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 4, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 10, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 10, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • CE 306/2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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