EXAMINING THE FACTORS RELATED TO NURSE REPORTED MISSED CARE ON STAFF AND PATIENT OUTCOMES.

Abstract

Background Care processes often must pass through the hands of a nurse before reaching the patient, but it seems that important nursing care is often missed in hospitals. Studies done abroad reveal the ubiquity of missed nursing care, signalling the prospect of a similar trend in Singapore. Aim This study aims to examine the factors related to Nurse Reported Missed Care (NRMC) on staff and patient outcomes. Methods A survey and correlational study was conducted. A convenience sample of nurses working in all inpatient units in the participating acute care hospital was recruited to complete the MISSCARE survey. The elements and reasons for NRMC, staff demographics, staffing characteristics and patient outcomes were analysed using descriptive statistics. Inferential statistics like chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to explore the associations between the (i) staff demographics, (ii) ward discipline, (iii) nurse staffing norms, and (iv) workload, overtime, and staff outcomes, against NRMC. Results There were associations between staff demographics, ward disciplines, staffing characteristics, workload, overtime, and staff outcomes against NRMC. The associations were strongest with workload and overtime, weakest with ward discipline. Conclusion In conclusion, this study identified the key factors associated with NRMC, and its outcomes, in Singapore. This study’s findings advocate for nursing leaders to develop interventions to enhance work environments, rather than pinpointing NRMC on nurses’ incompetence.