L’infermiere di accoglienza in pronto soccorso: studio descrittivo sul grado di soddisfazione del paziente in sala d’atte

Introduction: overcrowding and staff shortages in Emergency Departments negatively affect waiting times, the perceived quality of care, and the safety of healthcare professionals. The introduction of the caring nurse, dedicated to providing information and emotional support to patients in the waiting room, may improve the care experience. Materials and Methods: this descriptive observational study was conducted in December 2024 at the Emergency Department of a university hospital in Lombardy, Italy. Adult patients triaged with a priority code between 3 and 5 and managed by the caring nurse were invited to complete a satisfaction questionnaire. Results: during the study period, 4,613 patients were registered at triage, and 330 (7.1%) completed the questionnaire. The majority of patients (86.7%) perceived a high level of availability from the caring nurse, and 75.8% reported having received support in understanding the assigned triage code. Among the 164 open-ended responses analyzed, 124 expressed appreciation for the caring nurse, particularly highlighting professionalism, empathy, and clarity; whereas only 40 comments pointed out critical issues such as prolonged waiting times, insufficient information, and limited understanding of the clinical pathway. Conclusions: the findings highlight the value of the caring nurse in improving the patient experience in the Emergency Department waiting area by addressing informational, emotional, and care-related needs. However, the success of this intervention depends on appropriate organizational support and resource allocation.