Patient satisfaction is widely recognized as a primary outcome criterion and an essential instrument for evaluating the quality of nursing care within healthcare institutions. In modern healthcare systems, patient-centered care has become a fundamental principle, and satisfaction serves as a measurable indicator of how well healthcare services meet patients’ expectations, needs, and preferences. Among all healthcare professionals, nurses constitute the largest group and maintain continuous, direct contact with patients throughout their hospital stay. Consequently, the quality of nursing care plays a pivotal role in shaping patients’ overall hospital experiences and influencing clinical outcomes. Nurses are responsible for delivering comprehensive care that includes physical, psychological, emotional, and educational support. Their responsibilities encompass medication administration, monitoring of vital signs, wound care, assistance with daily living activities, health education, coordination with other healthcare professionals, and provision of emotional reassurance. Because of this continuous interaction, patients often evaluate the entire healthcare system based on their experiences with nursing staff. Effective communication, empathy, responsiveness, professional competence, and respectful behavior are critical attributes that significantly enhance patient satisfaction. 

Patient satisfaction with nursing care refers to the degree to which patients perceive that the nursing services provided meet or exceed their expectations. It is not limited to technical competence alone but also includes interpersonal relationships, timely assistance, information sharing, involvement in decision-making, maintenance of privacy and dignity, and the overall ward environment. High levels of satisfaction are associated with better treatment adherence, reduced anxiety, shorter hospital stays, improved recovery rates, and a greater likelihood of returning to or recommending the hospital.

Medical and surgical wards present unique care demands and patient expectations. Patients admitted to medical wards often require long-term management of chronic conditions, close monitoring, and continuous therapeutic communication. In contrast, surgical ward patients frequently need intensive postoperative monitoring, pain management, wound care, and immediate responsiveness to complications. These differences may influence satisfaction levels and perceptions of care quality. The present study aimed to assess the levels of patient satisfaction with the quality of nursing care provided in selected medical and surgical wards of tertiary care hospitals. Tertiary care hospitals typically manage complex cases, advanced treatments, and high patient volumes, which can affect nurse workload and service delivery. Therefore, understanding patient perceptions in such settings is crucial. The study also sought to identify factors influencing satisfaction, including demographic characteristics (age, gender, and education), length of hospital stay, nurse-patient ratio, communication quality, responsiveness, and environmental conditions.