Assessment of mothers' satisfaction with health care during childbirth in a tertiary-level maternity ward.
Aim To evaluate satisfaction of mothers who gave birth at term with received hospital care and to find areas for improvement at a tertiary hospital. Methods A cross-sectional study at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University Clinical Hospital Mostar was conducted by an anonymous survey using a questionnaire designed exclusively for this study. A total of 100 mothers were included in the study. Results Satisfaction with midwives' communication and their approach to the women during their stay in the delivery room was rated significantly higher (4.7±0.6) when compared to obstetricians-gynaecologists (4.5±0.8) (p=0.02). Midwives were rated better in providing breastfeeding information (4.5±0.8) than for the speed of arrival after a call bell (average grade 4.2±1.0). Respondents were least satisfied with the hygiene (toilet, shower and rooms) and the quality of food (average grades 3.8±1.1 and 3.9±1.0, respectively). Mothers with previous experience in childbirth at the same hospital rated current stay with a similar level of satisfaction. Conclusion Good communication skills of medical and non-medical staff are a recommended step to maintain mothers' childbirth satisfaction, while improvement in quality of nutrition and hygiene should be mandatory.