Missed nursing care and its associated factors among nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Nursing students are often curious about the match between their theoretical knowledge and the nursing care they observe during their clinical practices. Discrepancies between them can lead to instances where nursing care is omitted. If this omission is frequent, students may perceive it as a norm. Assessing missed nursing care among nursing students can provide input to improve clinical education and quality of nursing care. However, there is a lack of research on missed nursing care among nursing students in Ethiopia.

To assess missed nursing care and its associated factors among nursing students in Ethiopia.

A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 7 to June 22, 2024, at two universities in Ethiopia. Nursing students who had completed at least one clinical placement were included. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 358 participants. A validated 'Unfinished Nursing Care Survey for Students (UNCS4S)' scale was used to measure missed nursing care. Data were analysed using SPSS version 29 software. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with missed nursing care at a P value of ≤0.05.

The average score of missed nursing care was 3.03 [95 % CI: 2.98; 3.08]. Teaching patients (Mean = 3.71, 3.58; 3.83 CI), providing personal hygiene (Mean = 3.70, 3.57; 3.83 CI), and emotional support (Mean = 3.62, 3.51; 3.73 CI) were most frequently missed. Lack of collaboration among nurses (β = 2.165, 1.040; 3.29 CI), inadequate number of nurses (β = 3.166, 0.711; 5.621 CI), insufficient supervision of tasks (β = 1.344, 0.453; 2.236 CI), inaccurate initial priority setting (β = 1.043, 0.107; 1.979 CI), and inadequate nursing care model (β = 1.211, 0.160; 2.261 CI) were factors associated with missed nursing care.

Nursing students reported a high level of missed nursing care. Hospital administrators should address nursing staff shortages, strengthen teamwork among nurses, and improve supervision of nursing tasks to mitigate missed nursing care and improve patient safety. There is a need to review whether existing nursing curricula sufficiently integrate missed nursing care and its potential impacts to enhance students' awareness and preparedness for their future practices. Future qualitative research is needed to explore students' personal experiences with missed care and reactions when they observe it and explore its impacts on their education and attitudes toward nursing.