Date of Conferral

2017

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Eileen Fowles

Abstract

Patient satisfaction is an ongoing action in which hospitals and health care providers are constantly seeking strategies to improve their satisfaction ratings. In the ambulatory oncology infusion setting, patient satisfaction is also a key metric that is being monitored, but actual patient satisfaction is unknown. Guided by Lewin's change theory and King's theory of goal attainment, the aim of this project was to use a strategy of conducting follow-up telephones calls to determine if patient satisfaction improved in an ambulatory oncology setting. A descriptive comparative approach was used to evaluate patient satisfaction before and after a telephone follow-up intervention. Participants who were starting an initial or new chemotherapy protocol were randomized into the telephone follow-up (TFU) group or the control group. A TFU script was used to guide the telephone conversation with patients about their experience with the first chemotherapy visit. All participants (N= 62) completed the OUT-PATSAT 35 questionnaire before starting their chemotherapy and 72 hours after the chemotherapy. Demographic characteristics of participants did not differ from the general cancer population. T tests were used to determine whether satisfaction differed between the two groups and revealed that participants receiving the TFU had significantly greater satisfaction in all domains post treatment, compared to those who did not (t = 2.90, df = 15, p = .01), suggesting the TFU had a positive effect on patient satisfaction. Incorporating follow-up telephone calls as a standard of practice to persons receiving an initial or new chemotherapy protocol may contribute to improved patient satisfaction scores and positive social change through an improved sense of well-being in cancer patients.

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