Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 26, 2025
Methodology for Establishing a Community-Wide Life Laboratory for Capturing Unobtrusive and Continuous Remote Activity and Health Data
Published on: July 27, 2018
Nursing care left undone in community settings: Results from a UK cross-sectional survey
Michaela Senek1, Steve Robertson2, Tony Ryan1
1Division of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Aim:
To demonstrate the prevalence of care left undone and its relationship to registered nurse staffing levels within community nursing.
Background:
Much research has been completed on nursing care left undone in the acute sector. Little has been done in the community nursing context.
Method:
Secondary analysis from a cross-sectional survey of 3,009 registered nurses working in the community and care home sector was completed. Measures reported are 'care left undone', 'nurse staffing levels' and 'type of shift'.
Results:
Only 37% of community respondents, and 81% of care home staff, reported having the planned number of nurses on their last shift. Prevalence of care left undone was 34% in the community sector, 33% in the care home sector and 23% in primary care. Care left undone increased as the proportion of registered nurses fell below planned numbers.
Conclusion:
Care left undone is a significant issue across the community nursing context and is related to registered nurse staffing levels.
Implications For Nursing Management:
This work is the first to look directly at the relationship of registered nurse staffing levels to care left undone in the community. Current policy on safe staffing needs to ensure consideration of the community nursing context.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:29Aims Of Nursing
01:29Nursing Assessment
The nurse collects all aspects of the patient's health in the initial assessment, establishing priorities for ongoing focused assessments...
01:29Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities
01:28Current Trends in Nursing I
01:15Nursing Implementation
The five steps to implementing effective nursing care include reassessing the patient, reviewing and revising the existing nursing care plan, organizing the resources and care delivery, anticipating and preventing complications, and implementing nursing interventions.