Comparative analysis of the perceptions of patients and nurses about the importance of nursing activities in a postpartum unit

The perceptions of patients and nurses about the importance of nursing activities in a postpartum unit were measured by questionnaire This pilot study examined the following aspects how important particular nursing activities are to the consumer in a postpartum unit, the importance assigned to particular nursing activities by the nurse in actual practice compared to the importance the nurse would hke to give to these nursing activities, the reasons for the difference between the importance ratings assigned to the nursing activities by the nurse in actual practice and what the nurse would like to give It was hypothesized that there would be no significant difference between the importance ratings assigned by the patients and the nurses It was also hypothesized that there would be no significant difference between importance ratings assigned by the nurse in actual practice from what she would like to assign The null hypothesis was rejected relevant to several nursing activities in both cases The reasons given by the nurses for the difference in ratings is discussed The observations of patients are reviewed and possible explanations for the incongruence between importance ratings are examined Results provide some direction for improving nursing care in the postpartum area