Asian Nurs Res.  2016 Mar;10(1):18-24. 10.1016/j.anr.2015.10.005.

Relationships between Personal Traits, Emotional Intelligence, Internal Marketing, Service Management, and Customer Orientation in Korean Outpatient Department Nurses

• Kim B
• Lee J

• KMID: 2374287
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.anr.2015.10.005

Abstract

PURPOSE
Current increase and complexity of medical tests and surgical procedures at outpatient department (OPD) require OPD nurses to have customer orientation focusing on various customers' interests and needs. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors associated with customer orientation in nurses working at OPD of hospitals.
METHODS
The study used a descriptive correlational design with cross-sectional survey. The study settings were four general hospitals in Seoul and its metropolitan area. Data were collected from 138 OPD nurses from general hospitals. Study variables were personal traits, emotional intelligence, internal marketing, service management and customer orientation.
RESULTS
Factors associated with customer orientation were identified as conscientiousness from personal traits (β .37, p < .001), emotional intelligence from individual characteristics (β .21, p = .032), and internal marketing from environmental characteristics (β .21, p = .001).
CONCLUSIONS
Hospital administrators should support OPD nurses to cultivate sincere and sociable personal traits and emotional intelligence, and to consider employees as internal customers to improve patient-oriented services and satisfaction.

Keyword

hospitals; nurses; outpatients; outpatient health services

MeSH Terms

Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel
Cross-Sectional Studies
*Emotional Intelligence
Female
Humans
Male
Marketing/*methods
Middle Aged
*Nurse-Patient Relations
Nursing Staff, Hospital/*psychology
Organizational Culture
Outpatient Clinics, Hospital/*organization & administration
Outpatients/*psychology
*Patient-Centered Care
Seoul
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult