This descriptive correlational study aimed to identify the psychological mechanisms underlying missed nursing care among operating room (OR) nurses, a factor critical to patient safety. Grounded in the missed nursing care model and self-determination ...
This descriptive correlational study aimed to identify the psychological mechanisms underlying missed nursing care among operating room (OR) nurses, a factor critical to patient safety. Grounded in the missed nursing care model and self-determination theory, the study examined the mediating role of perceived perioperative competence in the relationship between OR nurses' basic psychological needs and missed nursing care. Following Institutional Review Board approval, data were collected from 165 OR nurses with at least one year of experience, working at one tertiary hospital and five general hospitals, using self-report questionnaires administered between September 24 and October 10, 2025. The questionnaire assessed general characteristics, basic psychological needs, perceived perioperative competence, and missed nursing care. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 30.0 and the PROCESS macro version 5.0 for SPSS, employing descriptive statistics and mediation analysis to examine the mediating effect. The main findings of the study are as follows:
1. The mean satisfaction score for operating room nurses' basic psychological needs was 4.84±0.74 out of 7, while the mean score for basic psychological needs frustration was 3.31±0.81. Perceived perioperative competence averaged 3.72±0.49 out of 5. The mean score for missed nursing care was 0.58±0.52 out of 4, with participants reporting an average of 11.58 ± 9.35 missed tasks out of 32 required surgical nursing tasks.
2. Significant differences in missed nursing care were observed across several general characteristics of OR nurses, including age (χ2=10.39, p=.006), educational level (χ2=13.38, p=.001), clinical career (χ2=16.55, p <.001), working pattern (Z=-5.89, p<.001), hospital size (Z=-4.15, p <.001), number of operating rooms (χ2=51.09, p<.001), nursing staffing grade (χ2= 46.66, p <.001), average weekly working hours (Z=-3.15, p=.002) and weekly emergency surgery cases (χ2=7.04, p=.030).
3. In the correlation analysis of basic psychological needs, perceived perioperative competence, and missed nursing care, missed nursing care showed a significant negative correlation with basic psychological needs satisfaction (r=−.218, p =.005) and perceived perioperative competence (r=−.299, p <.001), as well as a significant positive correlation with basic psychological needs frustration (r=.183, p =.018).
4. Basic psychological needs satisfaction among operating room nurses demonstrated a significant indirect effect on missed nursing care through perceived perioperative competence (95% bootstrap CI = –.163, –.040). Basic psychological needs satisfaction had a positive effect on perceived perioperative competence (X → M, B = 0.37, p <.001), and perceived perioperative competence had a negative effect on missed nursing care (M → Y, B=–0.27, p =.001), indicating a full mediating effect.
5. Frustration of operating room nurses’ basic psychological needs had a significant indirect effect on missed nursing care through perceived perioperative competence (95% bootstrap CI = .020, .093). Frustration of basic psychological needs negatively affected perceived perioperative competence (X → M, B = –0.16, p = .001), which in turn negatively influenced missed nursing care (M → Y, B = –0.33, p <.001), indicating a full mediation effect.
This study empirically demonstrated that missed nursing care among OR nurses is not directly driven by their psychological state but occurs through a psychotechnical mechanism mediated by perceived perioperative competence. These findings suggest that efforts to reduce missed nursing care must extend beyond improving structural factors. Systematic educational programs and psychological support strategies that fulfill nurses’ basic psychological needs and enhance their perceived perioperative competence are essential for effectively preventing missed nursing care.