The relationship between patient satisfaction and hours per patient day on a medical unit was found to be (r = 0.60, p < 0.05). What is the correlation between these two values?

In this context, the correlation coefficient is what is indicated by the value of "r" in the statement given, which is 0.60. This figure represents a moderate positive correlation between patient satisfaction and hours per patient day on a medical unit. A positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to increase as well.

The value of r ranges from -1 to 1, where values closer to 1 indicate a stronger positive correlation, values closer to -1 indicate a stronger negative correlation, and values around 0 imply little to no relationship between the variables. The significance level denoted by "p < 0.05" indicates that the result is statistically significant, meaning that it is likely that the observed correlation is not due to chance.

Understanding the correct response emphasizes the importance of correctly identifying the correlation coefficient itself, which was specifically noted as 0.60, reflective of the positive association between the two measured factors. This information can be valuable for health care decision-making, as improving the quality of care (such as increasing patient hours) may contribute to enhanced patient satisfaction.