Predictive analysis of the relationship between nurses’ attitudes toward patient safety and missed nursing care

Missed nursing care, defined as any aspect of required patient care that is omitted or delayed, poses significant threats to patient safety and quality outcomes. Nurses’ attitudes toward patient safety may influence their prioritization of care activities and the occurrence of missed care. This study examined the relationship between nurses’ attitudes toward patient safety and missed nursing care at Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana. A cross-sectional study was conducted to address the study aims. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, comprising the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) and the MISSCARE survey. Spearman’s correlation and robust regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between patient safety attitudes and missed nursing care. Data analysis was performed using R version 4.2.3. A total of 239 registered nurses participated. The mean attitude toward patient safety among nurses was 60.49 (SD = 16.51). Among the six dimensions, Job Satisfaction scored highest (M = 67.68, SD = 22.21), while Perception of Management scored lowest (M = 49.12, SD = 24.20). The mean level of missed nursing care was 1.74 (SD = 0.52), with participation in interdisciplinary patient care conferences being the most frequently missed activity (M = 2.09, SD = 0.84). Linear regression analysis showed that highest educational level, work experience, and unit of work were significant predictors of patient safety attitudes. Spearman’s correlation indicated significant negative relationships between missed nursing care and teamwork climate (ρ = -0.31, p < 0.001), safety climate (ρ = -0.30, p < 0.001), and job satisfaction (ρ = -0.40, p < 0.001). Robust regression confirmed a statistically significant negative association between overall patient safety attitude and missed nursing care (β = -0.18, SE = 0.05, t = -3.70, p < 0.001). Positive attitudes toward patient safety are associated with lower levels of missed nursing care. Interventions targeting nurses’ perceptions of teamwork, safety climate, and job satisfaction may help reduce missed care and improve patient outcomes.