Are data on missed nursing care useful for nursing leaders? The RN4CAST@IT cross-sectional study

Workload of home care nurses: Italian adaptation, validity, and reliability of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index questionnaire

The aim of this study was to adapt the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) to the home care setting and translate and validate it in Italian. An online questionnaire containing the Italian version of the NASA-TLX adapted to the home care setting was administered to home care nurses to measure workload. Content Validity Index, Exploratory, and Confirmatory Factor Analyses were used to measure the psychometric characteristics of the modified NASA-TLX. The modified Italian version of NASA-TLX_HC-IT showed good psychometric characteristics in measuring the workload of home care nurses, with excellent fit indices. The reliability, calculated with Cronbach's alpha, was 0.73, indicating adequate reliability. A negative correlation between workload and job satisfaction among home care nurses, as well as a positive association between high workload and intention to leave the workplace, was verified. The modified Italian version of the NASA-TLX_HC-IT was confirmed to be a valid and reliable instrument to measure workload in home care nursing. Furthermore, the correlation between workload and the intention to leave the workplace among home care nurses was an important result that community nursing managers should consider preventing the shortage of home care nurses.

Oral health and oral care in patients in a surgical context: A quantitative study comparing patients' and nurses' assessments

AIMS

To investigate fundamental care delivery regarding oral care in a surgical context, and to compare patients' self-reported oral health with registered nurse assessments.

DESIGN

A descriptive and comparative study, with a consecutive selection.

METHODS

A patient oral health rating tool, including questions about performed oral care, was distributed to patients (n = 50), at four surgical wards in Sweden. The response rate was 72%. Oral health status was assessed by a registered nurse using the Revised Oral Assessment Guide (ROAG), and a comparison between patient and registered nurse assessment was performed by calculating Cohen's kappa coefficient and percentage agreement.

RESULTS

Patients (38%) reported severe oral symptoms, mostly dry lips and not an adequate amount of saliva, and 80% were not offered help with oral care. ROAG assessments revealed that 74% had problems with oral health. Almost half of the patients (48%) needed assistance with oral care but only 10% received help. Registered nurses assessed the patient's oral health as worse than the patient's self-assessment did.

CONCLUSION

There are deficiencies in fundamental care delivery regarding oral care in a surgical care context. Oral health assessments need to be performed by registered nurses. Routines for systematic oral assessments and for oral care need to be implemented by nurse managers to ensure that patients' fundamental care needs are fulfilled.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND PATIENT CARE

Oral health assessments need to be performed regularly by registered nurses since it is insufficient that patients self-assess their oral health. Nurse managers need to provide and implement routines for nurse assessments and oral care in surgical care contexts.

IMPACT

There are deficiencies in patients' oral health and oral care, and registered nurses need to perform oral health assessments. Nurse managers need to implement routines for registered nurse assessments and oral care.

PATIENT CONTRIBUTION

Patients admitted to a surgical ward were included in the study after being screened for inclusion criteria. After participants signed informed consent, they filled in a questionnaire about oral health and oral care, and a registered nurse performed an oral health assessment.

REPORTING METHOD

This study was carried out according to the STROBE checklist.

Missed nursing care in surgical care- a hazard to patient safety: a quantitative study within the inCHARGE programme

BACKGROUND

Missed nursing care occurs globally, and the consequences are severe for the patients when fundamental care needs are not fulfilled, nor delivered in a person-centred way. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and cause of missed nursing care, and the relationship between registered nurses' and nursing assistants' perceptions of missed nursing care, in a surgical care context.

METHODS

A quantitative study was performed using the MISSCARE survey, measuring missed nursing care and associated reasons, in three surgical wards with registered nurses and nursing assistants as the participants (n = 118), during May-November in 2022. The MISSCARE survey also covers background data such as job satisfaction and intention to leave. The survey was distributed paper-based and the response rate was 88%.

RESULTS

Aspects of nursing care rated to be missed the most were 'attending interdisciplinary care conferences', 'turning patient every 2 h', 'ambulation 3 times per day or as ordered', and 'mouth care'. Differences between registered nurse and nursing assistant ratings were detected for eight out of 24 items, where registered nurses rated more missed nursing care. The uppermost reasons for missed nursing care were 'inadequate number of staff' and 'unexpected rise in patient volume and/or acuity on the unit'. Registered nurses and nursing assistants rated differently regarding six of 17 items. Almost every fourth staff member (24.6%, n = 29) had the intention to leave within a year in the present department.

CONCLUSIONS

The occurrence of missed nursing care is frequent in the surgical context, and in combination with a high number of staff members intending to leave their employment, poses a hazard to patient safety. Registered nurses, holding higher educational levels, reported more missed care compared with the nursing assistants. The main reason for missed nursing care was an inadequate number of staff. These findings support a warranted investment in nursing within the organisation. The results can be used to form strategies and interventions, to reduce nurse attrition and optimise competence utilisation, and to achieve safe person-centered fundamental care.

Development and psychometric testing of the attitude and confidence with oral healthcare among nursing students (ACORN) scale

AIM

To develop and test the psychometric properties of the attitude and confidence with oral healthcare among nursing students (ACORN) scale.

BACKGROUND

Delivering oral healthcare is an essential component of care, which is often overlooked and omitted. A nurse's attitude or confidence may influence how oral healthcare is prioritised. To date, there are no scales that assess both attitude and confidence for nurses when undertaking oral healthcare and thus the ACORN scale was developed.

METHODS

The 24-item scale was developed following a three-stage process, which included concept identification and item construction, pilot testing, factorial and discriminant validity and reliability testing. The survey was distributed to nursing students to assess their attitude and confidence in providing oral healthcare. This study has been registered with the Registry of Efficacy and Effectiveness Studies (12940.1v1).

RESULTS

Using a before and after intervention survey design, the psychometric properties of the ACORN scale were examined with data collected from two student groups. Exploratory Factor Analysis yielded a two-factor structure, which was verified using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Importantly, aggregated scale scores were able to detect differences in attitude and confidence following oral healthcare education (4.95 versus 5.66, p < 0.01). The Cronbach's alpha for the 24-item scale was 0.94.

CONCLUSION

The ACORN scale is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to assess differences in attitude and confidence of students following oral health education. Further research is recommended to test the utility of this scale using other educational interventions with different groups of healthcare providers.

Missed Nursing Care in Medical and Surgical Wards in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Missed nursing care is a multifaceted patient safety issue receiving increased attention among healthcare scholars worldwide. There is limited research on missed nursing care in the Jordanian healthcare context. The current study sought to examine the perceptions of Jordanian nurses toward the amount and types of missed nursing care in medical and surgical wards. We also examined the differences in missed care items between public, private, and university hospitals in Jordan. This was a cross-sectional study using the MISSCARE Survey tool. Data collection spanned 4 months between March and July 2021. The final study sample consisted of 672 registered nurses employed in five public, three private, and two university hospitals in Jordan. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficent test. Of the 672 registered nurses who participated, the majority were females (n = 421; 62.6%). Most participants held a bachelor's degree in nursing (n = 577; 85.9%). The three most common missed nursing activities in the participating hospitals were: ambulation, oral care, and emotional support. Nurses working in public hospitals reported the highest missed nursing care. The age and number of patients under care significantly correlated with missed nursing care. The findings could help nursing managers develop plans to reduce missed nursing care in their healthcare institutions.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the fundamentals of care framework: Are we there yet?

AIM

This paper aims to explore and describe the translation and cultural adaptation of the Fundamentals of Care framework to a Swedish context, and highlight the need for a translated version.

DESIGN

An exploratory, descriptive approach was adopted.

METHODS

A structured forward-backward translation process and cultural adaptation were used, considering situation and recipient as recommended for such process. Data such as literature and documents were collected during 2019-2021. The authors took systematic steps in collaboration with a strategic sample of experts: professional language service providers, clinicians, educators and a linguist.

RESULTS

The framework was mainly translated verbatim. A few fundamental care elements were adjusted to the Swedish language, context and clinical practice. Also, this work clarified the relational elements to be coherently seen as nursing actions. Addressing the need for a translated version was illustrated in activities in research, education and clinical practice.

CONCLUSION

This paper highlights the importance of translating the Fundamentals of Care framework into a country's native language to gain acceptance and application there. Sharing the framework's translated version impacts nursing science, generating a consistent language in the development and conducting of research for the comparison and transferability or generalizability of findings. Together with a cultural adaptation, the translated framework can support and guide researchers, educators and nursing leaders in articulating fundamental nursing care for enacting change. By disseminating the first Swedish version of the framework we encourage a global discussion and sharing of examples of translation and cultural adaptation by others.

IMPACT

The framework's English version has limitations in various context. This paper shows a systematic translation and cultural adaptation process of the framework. We proclaim that this is necessary for nursing leaders and nurses to be able to apply it in guiding nursing practice and leading change.

An Overview of Missed Nursing Care and Its Predictors in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Nursing care is holistic, and missing any aspect of care can be critical to patients' health. However, due to the complex and intense nature of the nursing practice, nurses have to unintentionally prioritize some activities, forcing them to omit some aspects of nursing care.

Aim

To explore the dimensions of missed nursing care and its predictors within the Saudi Arabian healthcare system.

Methods

Quantitative, cross-sectional study used the MISSCARE survey by utilizing nonprobability convenience sampling to collect the data of 604 staff nurses working in inpatient wards in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Results

The overall mean of missed nursing care is (m = 1.37, SD = 0.45). Missed nursing care activities were mostly failure to attend interdisciplinary care conferences (m = 1.66, SD = 0.96) and patient ambulation thrice a day (m = 1.63, SD = 0.97). Missed nursing care was mainly caused by human resource shortage (m = 3.53, SD = 0.88). Missed nursing care is predicted by the turnover intention (B = 2.380, t = 3.829, p < 001) and job satisfaction (B = −0.864, t = −4.788, p < 001).

Conclusion

Although missed nursing care is evident in Saudi Arabia, it is significantly lower than the international rates, and it is mainly caused by labor resource shortage which directly influences nurses' job satisfaction and intention to leave. Optimizing the recruitment process, resource allocation and effective nurses' retention programs are proposed solutions that may be beneficial to mitigate missed nursing care.

Missed nursing care in hospital environments during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Studies performed in Central European countries showed a high prevalence of missed nursing care in various clinical settings before the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIMS

The aim of the study was to investigate which domains of the work environment were significant predictors of missed nursing care activities in Czech hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was used. The RANCARE guideline and STROBE checklist were followed for reporting in the study. The sample consisted of 371 nurses from four acute care hospitals. The MISSCARE Survey and the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index questionnaires were used to collect data. The data were analyzed using multiple linear and logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Nurses reporting unfavorable environments consistently describe a higher frequency of episodes of missed care. Prevalence estimates of missed care in Czech acute care hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic was predicted from the overtime work, the nurses' perception of the "Nursing foundations for the quality of care," and their satisfaction with their current position.

CONCLUSIONS

Missed nursing care could be mitigated by improving the nurses' work environment. Domains of the nurse work environment are known as structural modifiable factors and their refinement could be a cornerstone for interventions to reduce the prevalence of missed nursing care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY

Monitoring the conditions and aspects of the nurse work environment in hospitals and considering nurses' concerns about the work environment on an ongoing basis are important strategies for nurse supervision as well as for policymakers.