The Patient Satisfaction Scale - an empirical investigation into the Finnish adaptation.

Rationale and aims The aim of this paper is to empirically investigate the performance characteristics of the Finnish adaptation PSS-Fin of the Patient Satisfaction Scale (PSS) intended to measure patient satisfaction with nursing care. The PSS-Fin includes three sub-scales: technical-scientific, informational and interaction/support care-needs. Methods The PSS-Fin was used in a cross-sectional survey measuring the satisfaction of Finnish surgical patients (n = 454) with the nursing care they received. The feasibility, internal consistency, stability, equivalence and construct validity of the measure were investigated. Evaluation was based on statistical methods. Results The PSS is brief and easy to use, and it produced low missing data. Cronbach's alpha coefficient ranged from 0.79 to 0.89 for the sub-scales. The items correlated strongly with the sub-scales and the sub-scales with the total PSS as well. Test-retest reliability of 0.7 showed reasonable stability over time. Three factor analytic procedures supported for the three-factor solution with a technical-scientific, informational and interaction/support factors, explaining approximately 77% of the variance. The PSS had some equivalence with another satisfaction instrument, but also exhibited the ability to discriminate between each other. In multiple regression analysis the informational care-needs sub-scale was the most significant factor explaining patient satisfaction. Conclusion The PSS-Fin demonstrated good psychometric properties and conceptual rigour and is thus reliable tool for examining patient satisfaction with nursing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]