The effect of missed care on the nursing image perceived by patients and their trust relationships with nurses

Missed care has negative consequences for patients, directly affecting the quality of nursing care and patient safety.

This study investigated the effect of missed care on the nursing image perceived by patients and their trust relationships with nurses.

This descriptive and correlational study was conducted in all inpatient wards of a hospital in southern Türkiye. The sample consisted of 200 patients. Data were collected using a patient information form, the MISSCARE Survey-Patient, the Nursing Image Scale (NIS), and the Trust in Nurses Scale (TNS). The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (for Windows 25.0). The study adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines.

Participants had a mean MISSCARE Survey-Patient, TNS, and NIS score of 2.09 ± 0.53, 23.48 ± 5.01, and 71.52 ± 6.75, respectively. There was a moderate negative correlation between MISSCARE Survey-Patient and TNS scores. There was a weak negative correlation between MISSCARE Survey-Patient and NIS scores. Moreover, there was a strong positive correlation between NIS and TNS scores.

MISSCARE Survey-Patient total scores vary due to the imbalance in the number of nurses and the complexity of their tasks. Poor quality of care and incomplete care undermine the image of nursing and negatively affect the trust relationship between patients and nurses.

Nursing image and trust in nurses decreases as patient-nurse communication and basic care interventions are skipped.

Inadequate care can have a detrimental effect on the nursing image and erode patient-nurse trust relationships. Therefore, there is a pressing need for ongoing review and enhancement of nursing education, policy, and practice to elevate the quality of care provided. Further research utilizing objective staff measures and outcome assessments, along with gathering primary data directly from patients, is essential to substantiate the assertion that missed care significantly influences patient outcomes.