This study is a descriptive analytic research measuring nursing service quality, using SERVQUAL model, to make fundamental data and strategies for nursing service mprovement.
Data were collected by self reported questionnaires from 202 patients and 142 nurses, from June 7 to 14, 1999. The reliability of instrument were adequate(Cronbach a =.94).
SAS program was utilized for statistical analysis of collected data
The results were as follows;
1. There was a gab between patient´s expectation and perception on nursing service(Gap B). Gap D was indicated an affecting factor to decide nursing service quality. Gap C was indicated an indirect affecting factor of nursing service quality. Because it was not statistically significant in total item analysis, but in individual item analysis, 7 items were appeared statistically significant. Gap A was not a gap occurrence factor of nursing service quality.
2. Focuses of nursing service quality improvement strategies were;
(1) to direct qualitative improvement of nursing service in order to correspondence patient´s nursing service expectation.
(2) to make nurse´s service activity modified because nurse´s practice were not reached patient´s expectation level.
(3) to need internal, external factor analysis affecting nurse´s service activity.
3. Nursing service quality was decided by rather environmental inappropriateness provided nursing service than nurse itself. Therefore, to make nursing service quality improvement, it is required to improve nursing service environment. For this, followings are required;
(1) to strengthen nurse´s education on lower part of nursing service satisfaction and QI activities.
(2) to balance demand and supply of nursing personnel.
(3) to fix computerized system for reducing other duties weight except nursing care through analysis of nursing activity.
(4) to construct rational cooperating system among related departments.
4. The important parts for nursing service quality improvement were indicated as follows;
(1) Gap B~ `prompt reaction´, `examination symptom before patient´s complaint´, ´hearted nursing service reducing patient´s dissatisfaction´, `explanation goals of nursing activities´, `having special knowledge enough´, `maintenance position comfortably´, ´management of patient´s physical hygiene´.
(2) Gap C: `maintenance physical safety´, `explanation about hospital rules and facilities´.
(3) Gap D: `tender, safe injection and wound care´.
Because above items are mostly improved through nurse´s attitude change and quality improvement, it is required to establish nursing standardization and to strengthen nurse´s clinical education.
As the based on above results, followings are suggested;
1. SERVQUAL model is very useful to make strategies for nursing service quality improvement because it indicates multiple factors affecting gap occurrence.
2. At individual items analysis of Gap C, statistically significant 7 items appeared higher nurse´s perception level than patient´s perception level on nursing service were trouble factors of nursing service quality improvement. So it needs further research to analysis about these difference occurring factors.
3. At analysis of Gap D, it is indicated that in nursing service performance process, multiple factors lowing nursing service quality were intruded So it needs further research to analysis what these factors are and how each factors affect on nursing performance process.
4. nursing service quality measurement is changeable according to sample select time or sampled subject´s characteristics. So to develope strategy for nursing service quality improvement is based on the results of periodical analysis.
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