Original Article: Exploring The Lived Experience of Missed Nursing Care in Postgraduate Nursing Students in Iran
Original Article: Exploring The Lived Experience of Missed Nursing Care in Postgraduate Nursing Students in Iran
Original Article: Exploring The Lived Experience of Missed Nursing Care in Postgraduate Nursing Students in Iran
Fatemeh Najafi1, PhD candidate; Alireza Nikbakht Nasrabadi1, PhD; Leila Mardanian
Dehkordi1,2, PhD candidate
1
Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical
Sciences, Tehran, Iran;
2
Department of Adults Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical
Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Corresponding Author:
Alireza Nikbakht Nasrabadi, PhD; Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and
Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Mirkhani Street, Tohid Sq., P.O. Box: 14197-33171,
Tehran, Iran
Tel: +98 21 66933600; Fax: +98 21 66904252; Email: [email protected]
Abstract
Background: Missed care is a global phenomenon, which can include many clinical conditions that
threaten the patients’ safety in all countries and cultures, and also indicates the quality of nursing care.
The nursing students’ awareness and understanding of missed nursing care is of great importance. The
current study aims to explore the lived experience of postgraduate nursing students in missed care.
Methods: The current qualitative study was performed based on the interpretive phenomenological
approach in Tehran, Iran, in February to December 2019. A total of 10 master’s degree nursing students
were selected through purposive sampling. A total of 10 semi-structured individual interviews were
used to collect the data. The trail version of MAXQDA-10 software was used for coding. All interviews
were recorded and codified, and the main themes were extracted from them using Dicklemann et al.’s
(1989) analytical method.
Results: Two main themes, five sub-themes, and 31 meaning units were obtained. The main themes
included: “unfulfilled care” and “living in limbo”.
Conclusion: Missed care, as unfulfilled care, is accompanied with living in limbo for nursing students,
and this condition is influenced by organizational and personal factors. It seems that managers can
prevent missed nursing care by supervising nursing care, reducing the nurses’ workload, creating a
sense of commitment to work, and enforcing ethical issues among nurses.
Please cite this article as: Najafi F, Nikbakht Nasrabadi AR, Mardanian Dehkordi L. Exploring the Lived
Experience of Missed Nursing Care in Postgraduate Nursing Students in Iran. IJCBNM. 2021;9(1):44-54. doi:
10.30476/ijcbnm.2020.85865.1344.
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Missed nursing care in postgraduate nursing students
for any decision making, planning, and taking experience of postgraduate nursing students
measures by all health decision makers and about missed nursing care in February to
policymakers. Previous studies on missed care December 2019. The study setting was one of
in Iran have been conducted among nurses in the Iranian universities. Data were collected and
clinical setting,12, 20 but among postgraduate analyzed simultaneously, after completing the
nursing students with clinical and educational research plan and receiving confirmation and
experiences, no study has been done to discover approval by Research Committees of the School
the meanings of missed nursing care. Since of Nursing and Midwifery. The participants
postgraduate nursing students will have more were selected from master’s degree nursing
managerial roles and are more likely to continue students with acceptable clinical practice
their education in the future, selecting this experiences. These students had passed their
group as the target of this study will have more internship program and were employed as
potential effects for improvement of health care clinical nurses in teaching hospitals. Invitation
in future. Therefore, a deeper understanding letters containing a description of the study
of the unknown aspects of this issue can objectives were presented to the students, and
facilitate the planning of a comprehensive those who were willing to participate were
nursing care program and improvement of asked to sign informed consent and plan a
quality of nursing care. Full understanding of specific time for the interviews. Participants
postgraduate nursing students’ experiences is were selected using purposive sampling. A total
not possible without qualitative research. The of 10 students including six females and four
researchers in the present study aimed to use males were selected and individual, in-depth,
interpretive phenomenology because its goal face to face semi-structured interviews were
is to better understand the nursing students’ then held with them. In order to reach the
experience of missed nursing care. The purpose maximum variation, we considered different
of phenomenological research is to describe conditions in terms of age, gender, specialty,
specific phenomena as lived experience. and work experience in different clinical wards.
Phenomenology is the lived experience of Inclusion criteria were students with at least 1
human beings from the world of their everyday year of clinical practice experience and study in
lives. In fact, it is the experience of a person that postgraduate level. Exclusion criteria included
tells him what is real and true in his life. These unwillingness to continue with the study and
lived experiences give meaning to a person’s withdrawing from the study.
perception of a particular phenomenon, which The number of sessions and the length of each
is influenced by all internal and external interview varied based on each participant’s
factors.21 Interpretive phenomenology focuses condition and depended on factors such as
on the experience of human beings and their the time and willingness of individuals. The
interpretations of those experiences.22, 23 The mean time of interviews varied from 30 to 40
current phenomenological study aimed to minutes and each participant was interviewed
explore the lived experience of postgraduate once. Before starting the interviews, an initial
nursing students regarding missed nursing care interview guide was provided and helped the
and to understand this complex phenomenon researcher to ask further questions in the field.
and its various dimensions in order to find a In the interviews, first a basic and follow-up
way to develop strategies for managing and question such as “What comes to your mind
reducing it. when I say missed care?, What is missed care
like?”, “How do you feel when missed care
Methods occurs?”, and “Can you give an example”, were
asked followed by the in-depth exploratory
The present interpretive phenomenology study questions such as: “Can you explain more or
was conducted to explore and analyze the When you say ... what do you mean and how
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Missed nursing care in postgraduate nursing students
...?, Have you had any similar experiences?, was performed to relate the themes in the best
and What do you mean by saying…?” At the manner. In order to achieve rigor of the study,
end, the participants were asked to comment if we considered and used the criteria proposed
there was anything left to say. Interviews were by Lincoln and Guba in 1985, which include
digitally recorded with the permission of the credibility, dependability, confirmability and
participants and then transcribed verbatim and transferability.24 Therefore, by selecting the
converted into Microsoft word. The MAXQDA- appropriate context, resources, and eligible
10 software was used to better manage the participants; close prolonged and continuous
data. Interviews continued until we reached interaction with the participants; adopting
the depth, richness, abstraction, and relevance. a team approach using collective team
Data analysis and collection were performed discussion; doing analytical comparisons and
simultaneously; for instance, data analysis reciprocal referral to raw data, the validity of
was started with the first interview. Finally, the study was ensured.
by obtaining eligible participants, the data Ethical consideration was observed
were collected and analyzed simultaneously through explaining the aims and methods
and saturated within 10 months. The data used in the research for the participants,
were analyzed using the Dicklemann et al.’s obtaining informed written consent from
(1989) approach, a seven-step process based the research participants, assuring the
on the Heidegger phenomenology, with a participants about the confidentiality of their
team approach. This step-by-step process was information, explaining the purpose of using
carried out as follows: Each interview was first the audio recording, reminding the voluntary
transcribed verbatim and reviewed one or more participation in research, and the possibility of
times to get a general understanding of the withdrawal at any stage of research. This study
context. For each transcript, a commentary was approved by the local research ethics
was written by the author to understand and committee of Tehran University of Medical
extract the hidden meanings through coding. Sciences (IR.TUMS.VCR.REC.1397.727).
Team members exchanged their ideas on
extracting the topics and themes, and as the Results
interviews continued, previous topics became
clearer and evolved, and sometimes new ones Study participants included six women and four
emerged. This was done through discussion men, with a mean age of 30.6 years, ranging
with team members. By finding new topics, from 23 to 39 years. Four of the participants
patterns and interpretations were formed and were married and the rest were single. Also
explicit and implicit meanings were extracted seven of them were in the second semester
from the interview texts. These meanings and three in the fourth semester of the master’s
were not simply the participants’ statements, degree program. Eight participants were
but also included the interview space and the studying medical-surgical nursing and two were
way the participants answered the questions. studying geriatric nursing. All participants were
In order to clarify, categorize, and eliminate working; of whom six had work experience
the contradictions in the interpretation, of less than 10 years and four over 10 years.
we repeatedly returned to the texts. The Five participants worked in the (ICU), two in
purpose of data analysis was to extract the the emergency department, and three in the
concepts and then the themes. The themes Cardiac Care Units (CCU). The participants’
were a set of general characteristics that demographic information is listed in Table 1.
represent the central meaning of the concepts,
similarities, and differences. At each stage, as 1. Unfulfilled Care
the work progressed, by the combination of This theme represents the majority of the
interpretive abstracts, the combined analysis nursing students’ experience of missed care
as a missed opportunity that may even lead to induction of death, and worthless conception
death and catastrophic consequences for the of care, which are explained as follows by the
patient. It was also considered as a routine care participants’ quotes. The information about
by the participants. Unfulfilled care had three the main themes, sub-themes and meaning
sub-themes of deterioration of opportunity, units is given in Table 2.
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Missed nursing care in postgraduate nursing students
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Missed nursing care in postgraduate nursing students
nursing care in this study.25 According to had lost the art of patient care to paperwork
another study, the basis of missed nursing care and they were discouraged from neglecting
is the nurse’s involvement between the routine care and paying more attention to paperwork
methods and real empathy for the patient’s tasks. In the same study, according to the
recovery,26 which is similar to the meaning participants, nurses cannot fully care for
of the missing circle in the care process in the each patient due to a heavy workload, so the
present study. probability of missing nursing care is more and
As in the present study, induction of inevitable.26 In another study, perfunctory was
death was interpreted as a painful outcome, identified as the most important underlying
equivalent to death, an irreparable outcome, cause of missed nursing care. Many nurses
and negative wave of nursing students’ do not have a caring attitude and often want
experiences of missed care. Various studies to act like doctors and forget that the role of
have also mentioned the catastrophic nurse is caring for patient. Indeed, they do
consequences of missed care. In fact, the not consider the patient and think that care
consequences of missed care include a threat is unnecessary for the patient.20 This finding
to patient’s safety.12 The results of a study is in line with the results of our study where
that evaluated why and how nursing care is some participants pointed out that some care
missed indicated that a large proportion of were unnecessary and not important.31
hospitalized patients are at risk of missed care Another theme of this study, living in
or nursing errors.27 According to the findings limbo, also included ethical conflict and
of another study, missed care is associated the turbulence of existence that participants
with negative patient outcomes such as experienced as missed care. Ethical conflict
falls, medication errors, hospital infections, represented the practice of reprimand,
increased hospital costs, and death.28 However, trampling on the patient’s right, discrediting,
compared to other studies, the issue of death, discriminating in care, being questioned,
non-existence and irreparability has been providing unethical care, feelings of
more prominent, which may be due to the worthlessness and inadequacy, deception, and
cultural considerations. denial that nursing students had experienced.
As the findings of the present study Missing care is an ethical debate that
indicated, missed care is sometimes caused challenges the nurses’ professional and
by the notion that something normal, ethical values. Ethical distress is one of
unnecessary care and impatience in care is the factors that leads to lack of care and
missed; the point that was also referred to in mismatch between the patients’ needs and
the literature on missed nursing care. Review available resources.8 Nurses who experience
of the literature in this field shows that missed ethical distress change their circumstances
care is a global problem that is concealed by by resigning, reducing working hours, or
different experiences and different natures.14, 29, moving to other wards. Increased medical
30
In this regard, the results of a study showed errors, exacerbated patients’ condition and
that nursing staff was used to making no suffering of their families, and reduced trust
attempt to do some aspects of care. According and satisfaction in health care systems are
to the participants in this study, when some the other consequences of missed care.8, 32
aspect of care such as patient reposition is Regarding the nursing students’ denial of
missed, it is easier to set it aside for tomorrow missed care, in a similar study it was found
and the following days. If tasks are ignored that many nurses did not ask the specialist
for a long time, expectations to complete a nurses and physiotherapists for the care they
care disappear.25 had to deliver, but rather assumed that it
In one study, the participants noted that had been done, because they did not want
they sought patient satisfaction, but they to know that care was missed.25 Although
the reality is that missed care in the clinical the findings of the present study.6
setting cannot and should not be denied, when This study had some strengths and
nurses keep silent about it, the opportunity to limitations. This research is one of the first
take corrective action is missed by the staff in studies conducted on this phenomenon
next shift. This increases the probability of the among graduate nursing students in Iran. The
recurrence of the same missed care and the students had a rich experience of missed care
risk of negative outcome for patients.14 and eagerly shared their experiences. One of
In the present study, some participants the limitations of this study was that it did not
mentioned the role of lack of adequate include all the experiences of students living
information and proper training in the in other cities.
occurrence of missed care. Missed nursing
care is related to complex factors such as Conclusion
organizational structure, time, healthcare
staff, and professional, material, educational Missed care is experienced as unfulfilled care
and personal characteristics of the nurses.6 and living in limbo for postgraduate nursing
Indeed, delays in care, poor evaluation, and students, which is influenced by organizational
inadequate patient management depend on the and personal factors. The message of this
healthcare staff and educational factors.33 The study to policymakers, health care providers,
use of unqualified personnel leads to missed managers, and scholars is that missed nursing
care, which is manifested by delays or failure care needs to be given greater priority in today’s
to provide services.20 The complexity of health care system. Missed care and unfulfilled
workload may also put the nurses in a position care is a situation that, if not managed, could
to make difficult choices about prioritizing put the future of nursing profession at serious
care,34 which is consistent with the findings risk. It seems that managers can prevent missed
of the present study. nursing care by applying more supervision on
The turbulence of existence represented nursing care, obtaining feedback on nurses’
feeling of regret, mental and emotional performance, reducing the nurses’ workload,
struggle, stress and disappointment perceived creating a culture of teamwork, creating a sense
by nursing students. Many studies indicated of commitment to work, and enforcing ethical
that nurses often had concerns about issues among the nurses.
missed patient’s care, emotional pressure,
and impaired teamwork, the points that Acknowledgments
were also observed in the present study.6
Nurses described their experiences as moral This article is the result of a research project
distress, role disorder, emotional exhaustion, approved by the research department of
discomfort, concern, dissatisfaction, and Tehran University of Medical Sciences with
role of stress in the face of failure to provide the code No. of 40056. We sincerely thank all
complete care for their patients.35, 36 Missed the postgraduate nursing students of Tehran
care is one of the key factors in the nurses’ University of Medical Sciences and all those
satisfaction with working in clinical setting.34 who collaborated with us in this project.
In a study that evaluated the impact of
missed nursing care on nursing staff’s job Conflict of Interest: None declared.
satisfaction, the results showed that nursing
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