Satisfaction of Digestive Endoscopy Service Users with the Sedation by Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Abstract

Background The satisfaction of patients with sedation by nursing staff is an issue of interest for the quality of health care, influencing the recovery and well-being of patients as well as their confidence in and adherence to treatment.Aim To determine patient satisfaction with sedation via digestive endoscopies by nurses.Methods This was a descriptive cross-sectional study in the Digestive Endoscopy Service at the University Hospital of Toledo, Spain. The sample consisted of 660 adult patients from the digestive endoscopy service who were sedated. The degree of satisfaction with the service was measured.Results Patients who reported satisfaction with the treatment were very satisfied with the sedation provided by the nurses. The most valued item was the attention of the nursing professionals. The least valued items were the waiting time for the appointment and the time spent in the waiting room on the same day. The incidents recorded during the test were minimal (2% of all patients). The sedative of choice was 1% propofol.Conclusions Most patients are satisfied with the sedation administered by nurses via digestive endoscopies, and complications were rare, supporting the efficacy and acceptance of this practice. Clinical practice guidelines and consensus documents in Spain guarantee that nurses have autonomy to administer sedation in digestive endoscopy services, but there is a lack of national regulations to support this technique. The current consensus in Spain is that specific training is necessary for such nurses.