Introduction : Contemporary patients’ expectations for a nurse do not only concern medical knowledge and practical skills, but also a proper moral attitude, commitment, courteousness and professionalism. The present study is an attempt to present personality traits of a nurse from the point of view of patients’ expectations based on Murray’s theory of needs.
The aim of this study was to analyse the image of a “perfect” and “bad” nurse in the opinion of hospitalized patients in the context of their own needs.
Materials and methods : The study included a group of 250 patients hospitalized in various departments. The Adjective Check List (ACL) was used to carry out the assessment.
Results : The study has shown that patients clearly expect that a nurse should have a need for order – with a mean of 60.36 ±7.58 and a need of endurance – with a mean of 59.13 ±6.61.
Conclusions : Patients explicitly differentiate the characteristics of a “perfect” nurse.
