Association Between Missed Nursing Care and Patient Safety Outcomes Among Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background: Missed nursing care has emerged as a significant challenge to healthcare quality and patient safety. Omission or delay of essential nursing interventions may contribute to adverse patient outcomes, including medication errors, falls, pressure injuries, and healthcare-associated infections.

Aim: To determine the relationship between missed nursing care and patient safety outcomes among registered nurses working in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore.

Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional correlational study was conducted at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore. A total of 162 registered nurses were selected through simple random sampling from a population of 280 nurses using the Raosoft sample size calculator. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the MISSCARE Survey, and a Patient Safety Outcomes Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation were performed using SPSS version 27.0, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: The findings indicated a moderate level of missed nursing care (mean = 2.73 ± 0.48) and good patient safety outcomes (mean = 4.06 ± 0.47). Patient education and emotional support were the most frequently missed nursing activities. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a statistically significant moderate negative relationship between missed nursing care and patient safety outcomes (r = −0.582, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Missed nursing care was significantly associated with poorer patient safety outcomes. Improving nurse staffing, teamwork, resource availability, and continuous professional education may reduce missed nursing care and enhance patient safety in tertiary care hospitals.