Nurse–patient communication and inpatient satisfaction: A narrative review
TL;DR
Better perceived nurse–patient communication is generally associated with higher inpatient satisfaction, but the evidence does not justify a universal causal claim, and hospitals should standardize patient-centered communication, teach-back, and interdisciplinary message consistency while evaluating outcomes with validated instruments.
Abstract
Background: Communication is a core process of inpatient nursing care, yet the literature uses heterogeneous definitions, instruments, clinical settings, and professional scopes. This heterogeneity makes it difficult to determine which communication attributes are most consistently associated with patient satisfaction and whether observational associations are being interpreted too causally. Objective: To synthesize evidence on the association between nurse–patient communication and inpatient satisfaction. Methods: A focused narrative review was conducted and reported with reference to the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA). PubMed, ScienceDirect, DOAJ, Google Scholar, Garuda, and official Indonesian regulatory portals were searched for English- and Indonesian-language material published mainly from 2015 to 2026; seminal theory was retained. The search was updated on 2 September 2026. Adult inpatient studies examining nurse–patient, therapeutic, or patient-centered communication in relation to satisfaction were prioritized. Fifteen focal empirical studies were extracted and synthesized. Results: Most focal studies reported that clearer information, empathy, respectful interaction, active listening, opportunities to ask questions, responsiveness, and consistent messages were associated with higher satisfaction or related patient-experience outcomes. Trust, understanding, reassurance, and perceived service quality were recurrent explanatory pathways. However, the evidence was predominantly cross-sectional, definitions and measures varied, and a Kenyan study of patients with chronic life-limiting illness did not demonstrate higher satisfaction following patient-centered communication. Accordingly, causality and effect magnitude remain uncertain. Conclusion: Better perceived nurse–patient communication is generally associated with higher inpatient satisfaction, but the evidence does not justify a universal causal claim. Hospitals should standardize patient-centered communication, teach-back, and interdisciplinary message consistency while evaluating outcomes with validated instruments. Prospective multicenter and intervention studies are required.