Missed nursing care and associated factors among nurses working in public hospitals of Wolaita Zone, 2023: Mixed-method study design

Background: Missed nursing care encompasses any aspect of care that is either partially or entirely omitted, delayed, or inadequately carried out. This acknowledged concealed issue poses a serious risk to patients, potentially leading to adverse consequences. So, identifying magnitude of missed nursing care is important to enhancement of nursing care quality and patient safety. The main focus of the study was to assess the extent of missed nursing care and examine into the factors that contribute to it. Method: From June 10 to July 10, 2023, a mixed study design was implemented among nurses working in public hospitals of Wolaita Zone. Participants were randomly selected using computer-generated random numbers from each working unit and purposive sampling was used for in-depth interview. The results are presented in frequencies, means, and medians. A binary logistic regression model was utilized to evaluate the effects of independent variables on the outcome variables and content thematic analysis were done using the four-step approach of thematic analysis. Result: The level of missed nursing care was 54.9%. It was significantly associated with availability of resource, nursing teamwork, and job satisfaction. In qualitative analysis, Nurse related factor, Institution related factor, and patient related factors were emerged from the thematic analysis. Conclusion: The prevalence of missed nursing care was notably high, Nurses are encouraged to engage in effective communication and collaborate closely with fellow nurses and healthcare professionals to reduce instances of missed care.