The Relationship Between Missed Nursing Care and Nursing Teamwork in Jordan

The effective delivery of nursing care is crucial in hospital settings because it directly affects patient outcomes. However, nursing care can be missed because of various factors, including inadequate teamwork among nursing staff. Understanding the interplay between missed nursing care and nursing teamwork is essential for enhancing care quality in inpatient settings. This study therefore explored the relationship between missed nursing care and nursing teamwork among registered nurses in hospital inpatient units.

A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 375 registered nurses from four hospitals in three healthcare sectors in Jordan. Missed nursing care and nursing teamwork were measured using the Missed Nursing Care Survey and the Nursing Teamwork Survey. Data collection occurred between September and October 2024, with convenience sampling used for participant recruitment. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including mean, standard deviation, percentage, frequency, and Pearson's r correlation coefficient, were used to analyze the data.

The overall average missed nursing care score was 2.35 out of 5, suggesting that nursing care is rarely missed. The most frequently missed care activities reported by registered nurses included attending interdisciplinary care conferences, providing mouth care, and ambulating patients three times daily or as ordered. Activities least often missed included medication administration within 30 min of the scheduled time, assessing vital signs as ordered, and performing patient assessments each shift. The overall mean score for nursing teamwork was 3.5 out of 5 (standard deviation = 1.06). There was a moderate but significant negative correlation between missed nursing care and nursing teamwork (r = -0.310, p < 0.001).

The results underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to enhance resource allocation and teamwork, ultimately reducing missed nursing care and improving patient outcomes. Addressing these areas will foster a more effective healthcare system and enable nursing professionals to consistently deliver high-quality care.