Nursing Presence and Quality of Care: A Cross-Sectional Study of Hospitalized Patients in Iran

Nursing presence, a critical component of patient-centered care, is intrinsically linked to the quality of healthcare services and patient satisfaction.

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between nursing presence and the perceived quality of nursing care among hospitalized patients in teaching hospitals in Kermanshah, western Iran.

A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted involving 347 inpatients at teaching hospitals in Kermanshah, Iran. Participants were selected using a proportional quota sampling design to ensure the sample reflected the distribution of patients across different hospital units, with convenience sampling used to recruit participants within each quota. Data were collected using demographic forms and validated questionnaires: the Nursing Presence Scale (PONS) and the Quality Patient Care Scale (QUALPAC). Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson and Spearman correlation tests, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality, as well as Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests for group comparisons, performed using SPSS version 25.

The present study demonstrated a high level of nursing presence (mean ± SD: 350.8± 66.4) and a satisfactory level of nursing care quality (mean ± SD: 157.4 ± 35.9). A significant positive correlation between nursing presence and the overall quality of nursing care (r = 0.555, p < 0.001). As well as, significant positive correlations were observed between nursing presence and the psychosocial (r = 0.443, p < 0.001), communicative (r = 0.487, p < 0.001), and physical (r = 0.529, p < 0.001) dimensions of nursing care quality.

The findings indicate that while hospitalized patients in Iranian teaching hospitals reported a strong sense of nursing presence, their perception of the overall quality of nursing care was only moderately satisfactory. These results highlight the need to strengthen specific aspects of clinical care and technical proficiency to complement the established interpersonal strength of nursing presence.