Abstract
Background: Missed nursing care is recognized globally as an important indicator of healthcare quality and patient safety. It refers to delayed, incomplete, or omitted nursing care activities that may negatively affect patient outcomes, nursing performance, and healthcare effectiveness. Aim: The study aimed to assess the prevalence of missed nursing care among registered nurses working in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. The study was conducted at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital among 245 registered nurses selected through convenient sampling. Data were collected using an adopted missed nursing care questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were applied using SPSS. Reliability and validity of the tool were assessed through Cronbach’s alpha, KMO, and Bartlett’s test. Results: The findings revealed moderate levels of missed nursing care among nurses. Most participants were female (94.7%), aged 26–30 years (42.4%), and held Post RN qualifications (47.3%). The majority worked in wards (41.2%) and emergency departments (31.8%). The tool demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = .852) and validity (KMO = .772, p < .05). Descriptive statistics indicated variability in missed nursing care practices across different nursing activities. Conclusion: Missed nursing care remains a significant issue affecting healthcare quality and patient safety. Adequate staffing, supportive work environments, and evidence-based nursing management strategies are necessary to reduce care omissions in tertiary healthcare settings