Exploring experiences and perceptions of nursing students regarding missed nursing care in Ethiopia: a descriptive qualitative study

Missed nursing care is a critical issue, particularly in resource-limited settings. Nursing students may encounter missed nursing care during clinical placements. However, despite growing international attention, no study has explored missed nursing care from nursing students’ perspectives in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to explore Ethiopian nursing students’ experiences and perceptions of missed nursing care during clinical placements. A descriptive qualitative design was used at two universities in western Ethiopia between April and June 2024. Participants were nursing students who had completed at least one clinical placement. Considering participant diversity, data collection began with an initial estimated sample of 15 students and continued until information power was achieved, resulting in 23 participants. Individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analysed inductively using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis. Ethical approval and written informed consents were obtained before interviews. Four themes emerged from the transcribed data: Nature of Missed Nursing Care, Students’ Responses to Missed Nursing Care, Consequences of Missed Nursing Care, and Overcoming Missed Nursing Care. Students frequently observed omissions in basic and complex nursing care, including hygiene, counselling, bed making, wound care, vital signs monitoring, timely medication administration, and documentation. These omissions were attributed to systemic factors such as nurse shortages, high patient load, and lack of equipment, as well as personal factors including nurses’ carelessness and negligence. Most students viewed missed nursing care as undesirable and experienced emotional distress when witnessing it, though a few perceived some omissions as minor. Students believed missed nursing care compromised patient outcomes and hindered their learning and professional development. They also suggested solutions such as improving staffing, resources, teamwork, and supervision. Missed nursing care is a multifaceted issue frequently encountered by nursing students during clinical placements. Addressing this problem is essential not only to enhance patient safety but also to improve students’ clinical learning experiences and better prepare them for future practice. This study provides a foundation for future research exploring how exposure to missed nursing care influences students’ professional development.