Causal links to missed Australian midwifery care: What is the evidence?

An empirical analysis of the constructs of Fundamentals of Care Framework using structural equation modelling

AIM

First, to identify which aspects of missed care accurately define the integration of care and context of care dimensions of the Fundamentals of Care Framework. Second, to test the Framework for validity and reliability and lastly, to explore how leadership influences care integration.

DESIGN

A non-experimental research design using self-audit data collected information about variations in nursing care as exemplars for dimensions of the Framework.

METHODS

A multi-variate approach using path analysis was used to apply the consensus scores of 3079 Australian residential care nurses and carers to define the dimensions of the Framework.

RESULTS/FINDINGS

In the Australian residential care setting, the factors that define both the contexts of care and the integration of care dimensions constructs are now empirically established. The most direct predictor for the integration of care dimension arises from both the leadership and resource allocation variables, while the remaining context of care factors have indirect but significant effects. The integration of psychosocial care in the residential care sector is not influenced by any of the Framework's context-based factors.

CONCLUSION

The component variables of the Framework show both good reliability and convergent validity. These findings confirm a predictive relationship exists between the elements of the context of care and the different types of nursing activities that form the integration of the care dimension, including organizational leadership.

Causal links behind why Australian midwifery care is missed

AIMS

The aim of this study is to reliably estimate why midwifery care is missed and to crystallize those factors that have causal links to it.

BACKGROUND

Studies involving the incidences and types of missed midwifery care are sparsely described. The rationales behind these deficits in care are even less well researched.

METHODS

A non-experimental, descriptive method using a Likert developed MISSCARE scale was used to measure consensus estimates made by Australian midwives. Data analysis was undertaken using both Rasch analysis and Structural Equation Modeling.

RESULTS

Midwives' rationales behind why Australian midwifery care is missed can be quantified based on consensus estimates of participating midwives and the variances in the total scores of how important each contributing factor was in accounting for why midwifery care was missed, can be both explained and predicted.

CONCLUSIONS

Ten latent variables have significant predictor effects on why midwifery care was missed. These include insufficient human and physical care resources, increased work intensity and issues with workplace communication. These factors are further exacerbated by the midwives' teamwork satisfaction levels, work roster preferences and other midwife demographic variables. The age of midwife, their highest qualification achieved and where they obtained their midwifery credentials had no influence on their consensus estimates as to why midwifery care was missed.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

While this study confines itself to the Australian midwifery context, outcomes are informative for an international midwifery management audience. While the setting of the midwifery practice (be it private or public hospitals) is not significant in predicting why midwifery care is missed, resource allocation for care of mothers and their babies remains instrumental, as a factor contributing to care omissions. Midwife demographic factors including age, type of midwifery qualification and where the credentials were obtained from exerted no influence as to why care was omitted. Midwifery recruitment should focus instead on re-dressing skills and skills mix shortages. Teamwork skills within the midwifery sector requires strengthening, as problems arising from workplace communication, coupled with decreased midwifery staffing numbers and increased work intensity, are strongly thought to be significant reason for missed care.

Exploring the role of communication in missed nursing care: A systematic review

AIMS

To systematically review the literature on relationships between communication issues and missed nursing care.

DESIGN

Systematic review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 Statement.

DATA SOURCES

EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, PubMed and Cochrane databases were comprehensively searched from inception to December 2021.

REVIEW METHODS

Screening, data extraction and initial quality assessment were conducted independently by two reviewers. The JBI quality assessment tool was used for study appraisal and the certainty of evidence was assessed using the five Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Discrepancies were settled by consulting a third researcher.

RESULTS

A total of 18 articles were included. Missed nursing care was common and the status of communication was not optimistic in clinical. Nurses' sociodemographic characteristics and work environment both influenced missed nursing care and communication. Intrateam communication included three parts: doctors-nurses communication, nurses-nurses communication and nurses-patients communication, poor intrateam communication could contribute to missed nursing care. There was an interaction between missed nursing care and communication.

CONCLUSION

Promoting efficient intrateam communication, to acknowledge the importance of communication factors in reducing the incidence of missed nursing care in clinics is required. Future research can explore the impact of the internal dimension of communication on missed nursing care and consider interventions aimed at nurses' effective communication.

IMPACT

What problem did the study address? This study offers new evidence that the impact of intrateam communication on missed nursing care. What were the main findings? Effective intrateam communication can reduce the incidence of missed nursing care, there is mutual influence between communication and missed nursing care. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? Policymakers can provide positive interventions on communication problems in different populations (e.g. nurses-patients, nurses-nurses and doctors-nurses) to provide high-quality patient care.

Predictors of missed infection control care: A tri-partite international study

AIM

This study aimed to quantify types and frequencies of missed infection control care and to develop a theoretical model for estimating nurses' consensus scores about this form of missed care.

DESIGN

A non-experimental research design using self-audit data was selected to collect information about the types and frequencies of missed infection control care from nurses employed in hospitals located in three different countries. Data collection commenced mid-year 2018.

METHODS

A multivariate approach was used to apply the consensus scores of 1.911 internationally based nurses in the missed opportunities for maintaining infection control.

RESULTS/FINDINGS

Thirteen variables exert direct effects on the nurses' total scores underpinning missed infection control care. These include the methods used to prevent hospital-acquired infections, surveillance and hand hygiene practices. Significant nurses' demographic factors also included their countries of origin, employment status, employer type, job retention intentions, work intensity, length of clinical experience and staff development attendance.

CONCLUSION

In magnitude of importance and having the largest effect on missed infection control care is missed care related to reducing hospital-acquired infections followed closely by surveillance. Missed infection control care can be quantified, and variances in its practices can be accounted by exploring the nurses' differing demographic factors, including the nurses' country of origin.

IMPACT

Variations in missed infection control care can be accounted for across three countries. While ward hygiene is underestimated by staff as a mechanism to minimize nosocomial infections, infection control surveillance remains the key to reducing hospital-acquired infections. The study's outcomes invite the use of an ongoing, whole-of-organization approach to infection control with scrutiny being needed for improved staff adherence particularly with hand hygiene.