Effect of Missed Nursing Care on Patient’s Outcomes at Intensive Care Units

Background: Missed care is an international problem as most nurses report at least one task left undone in a shift. It is a phenomenon where nursing care unintentionally omitted or not completed. Aim the study: To assess the effect of missed nursing care on critically ill patients’ outcomes in ICU. Research design: A descriptive correlational design was used in this study. Setting: This study was conducted at ICUs in Al-Mabarrah Hospital of Health Insurance and Assiut University Hospital. Sample: The study subjects were included a convenience sampling of all critical care nurses who work in the previous mentioned setting. Tools: Tool one: Nurse characteristics assessment tool; tool two: The missed nursing care questionnaire; tool three: Clinical outcome assessment sheet. Results: It was found that most nurses had a moderate level of missed care with satisfactory reasons. the most of patient’s hospital stay were > 10 days. There was relation between total score of Missed Nursing Care and patient’s outcomes (p. 0.001**). Conclusion: the study concluded that most ICU nurses had a moderate level of missed care and there was a relation between the total score of Missed Care levels and total score of clinical outcomes. Recommendations: Improving the quality of nursing care through increase number of nurse staff. Periodic providing positive incentive for nurses’ staff.