Assessing Patient Enablement and Satisfaction After Consultation With an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in the Injuries Area of an Irish Emergency Department

Background Patient satisfaction is frequently used to evaluate advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) services in emergency care, but satisfaction alone may not capture the impact of consultations. Patient enablement, defined as a patient's increased capacity to understand and manage their health, offers a complementary outcome measure but has rarely been studied in emergency department (ED) settings. Objective To examine patient enablement and satisfaction following consultation with an ANP in an Irish ED injuries service and to explore factors influencing these outcomes. Design A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted. Methods Adult patients treated and discharged by ANPs in the ED injuries service were invited to complete the validated Patient Enablement and Satisfaction Survey for ANPs over a 3-month period. Additional demographic and service-related items were included. Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlation statistics, and Cronbach's alpha tested reliability. Results Of 210 eligible patients, 106 responded (50.5%). Satisfaction was high (mean 65.6/70), with 93.7% of participants reporting high levels of satisfaction. Enablement was also high (mean 12.8/15), with 85.3% reporting improvement. Communication correlated with satisfaction (rho = 0.32; P < .001) and enablement (rho = 0.20; P = .048). Internal reliability was excellent across all subscales (α = 0.87-0.97). Qualitative comments supported survey findings, emphasizing communication, efficiency, and shared decision-making. Conclusion ANP-led care in the ED injuries service was associated with high patient satisfaction and enablement. Enablement complements patient satisfaction when evaluating ANP services, and reflects patients' capacity for self-care following consultation.