Background: Nursing interns are essential contributors to patient care in hospitals, yet their participation and effectiveness are influenced by clinical skills, communication, and supervision. Patients’ perceptions of nursing interns’ care play a crucial role in evaluating internship programs and improving the quality of care. Limited research exists on patient satisfaction with nursing interns in government tertiary care hospitals in Swat. Aim: To assess patients’ satisfaction regarding nursing interns’ participation in nursing care at government tertiary care hospitals in Swat. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 377 adult patients selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire consisting of demographic variables and 15 Likert-scale items assessing satisfaction. Satisfaction levels were categorized as low (75%). Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27, applying descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Ethical approval and informed consent were ensured. Results: Most patients expressed high satisfaction in areas of professionalism, communication, respect, and overall experience, with scores ranging from 75% to 84%. Moderate satisfaction was reported for aspects such as time spent with patients, involvement in care, and supervision by senior nurses. The findings suggest that nursing interns contribute positively to patient care, although institutional constraints and limited supervision moderately affected some dimensions of satisfaction. Conclusion: Patients were generally satisfied with nursing interns’ participation in care, highlighting the importance of structured mentorship, effective communication, and adequate clinical support to enhance both internship training and patient-centered care.
Mian et al. (Wed,) studied this question.