The role of nurses' adherence to clinical safety guidelines in linking nurse practice environment to missed nursing care.

Introduction: While the nurse practice environment's vital role in shaping patient care outcomes is well established, the precise mechanisms through which it influences missed nursing care remain unexplored. Hence, this study examined the mediating role of adherence to clinical safety guidelines in the relationship between the nurse practice environment and missed nursing care.

Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study involved 1237 nurses from 11 governorates in the Sultanate of Oman. Data were collected using three standardized scales: the Patient Safety Adherence Scale, the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index, and the Missed Nursing Care Scale.

Results: A favorable nurse practice environment was associated with higher adherence to clinical safety guidelines (β = 2.492, p < 0.001) and a lower frequency of missed nursing care (β = -0.2919, p = 0.015). Adherence to clinical safety guidelines partially mediated the relationship between the nurse practice environment and missed nursing care (β = -0.055, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Enhancing the nurse practice environment plays a crucial role in improving nurses' adherence to clinical safety guidelines, which in turn reduces compromised nursing care.

Clinical relevance: Healthcare administrators and policymakers should prioritize improving working conditions to enhance nurses' adherence to clinical safety guidelines, thereby minimizing the occurrence of missed care and improving overall patient outcomes.