Missed nursing care in pediatric emergency departments in Turkey: A cross-sectional study

• Published in: Applied nursing research 2023-08, Vol.72, p.151699-151699, Article 151699
• Main Authors: Arıkan, Aylin, Esenay, Figen Işık
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Child; Children; Cross-Sectional Studies; Emergency Service, Hospital; Humans; Missed nursing care; Nurse; Nursing Care; Nursing Staff, Hospital; Pediatric emergency department; Quality of Health Care; Surveys and Questionnaires; Turkey
• ISSN: 0897-1897; 1532-8201
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apnr.2023.151699

A pediatric emergency department deals with a vast number of patients and a high load of emergent/high-priority healthcare practices. Therefore, at times, it is possible to experience missed nursing care in this department. This study aims to ascertain the types of and reasons for missed nursing care cases in pediatric emergency departments in Turkey. This is a cross-sectional survey study. Survey data were collected from 155 nurses using the “Introductory Information Form” and the “MISSCARE-Pediatric Emergency Department Survey.” Gastrostomy care, colostomy care, tracheotomy care, and teaching about hospital discharge were the care practices most often missed. The volume of patients, urgent patient situations, an inadequate number of nurses in charge, too many inexperienced nurses in the department, and assignment of work outside the scope of the job are the main reasons for missed care. Pediatric emergency department patients experience missed nursing care and nurses should be supported more in order for them to provide efficient care to children. •Contribution of the paper•What is already known about this topic?•Missed nursing care which is a common phenomenon in nursing, with negative consequences for patients and nurses have been proven through studies in the last 15 years.•Although there are studies examining missed nursing care in many services, there is no study on this subject in pediatric emergency department.•What this paper adds?•The study is first to examine the practices and causes of missed nursing care in pediatric emergency department in Turkey.•Pediatric emergency nurses have missed nursing care practices.•Missed nursing care is associated with the nurses' personal, professional, and working environment characteristics.•The implications of this paper:•Pediatric emergency nurses work in an important unit with high patient density and emergency/priority practices.•Missed nursing care practices should be reduced so that the care given qualified and effective in unit.