Correlates of Missed Nursing Care in Selected Medical Intensive Care Units, Egypt

Background: Missed nursing care is a universal phenomenon that could threaten patient safety across all countries and cultures, Missed nursing care is practiced by registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, and nurses' aides alike. Therefore, when nursing care is not completed, the quality of care that follows is reduced. Aim: The current study was conducted to determine the correlates of missed nursing care in selected medical intensive care units. Design: Descriptive correlational design was utilized to carry out the study. Setting: The study was conducted in six medical intensive care units at EL Kasr El Ainy hospital and El Manial University hospital. Sample: included a convenience sample of (n = 73) staff nurses working at the selected units. Tools: Data were collected by using modified MISSCARE self-reporting questionnaire. Results: The findings of the study revealed that, the majority of staff nurses reported that they never missed the elements of missed nursing care. Meanwhile the most reported factors contributed to missed nursing care were related to patient, hospital system and polices followed by factors related to nursing staff. Recommendations: the current study recommended that the staff nurses need to realize the importance of reporting the factors that produce obstacles in providing adequate nursing care in addition, the importance to report and disclose the elements of nursing care being missed, ensuring that each nurse is assigned a manageable patient load to render all the needed care and maintaining adequate supplies and well working equipment enable muses to provide higher quality of nursing care. Keywords: Correlates, Missed Nursing Care, Medical Intensive Care Unit