Patient satisfaction with nursing care in a regional university hospital in southern Spain.

Patient satisfaction is a valid indicator for measurement of service quality. Patients' opinions are important because dissatisfaction suggests opportunities for improvement. We evaluated the satisfaction of patients with nursing care in a regional university hospital in southern Spain and determined the relevant sociodemographic and attendance characteristics. A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. Reliability and validity of the SERVQUAL instrument were established. The only interaction considered was gender and education level. Analysis of covariance showed that the only factors significantly associated with lower patient satisfaction were female gender, higher educational level, lower overall satisfaction with the hospital, and not knowing the name of the nurse.