Nurses’ personality traits and decision-making as factors related to missed nursing care: a structural equation modeling approach

Background: Missed nursing care (MNC) has compromised the quality of care provided, and patient safety and well-being. Given that internal aspects of nurses, such as personality traits and decision-making processes, influence the provision of care, this study aims to analyze the influence of nurses’ personality traits and decision-making on MNC. Methods Quantitative cross-sectional descriptive-correlational study. A convenience sample of 296 nurses completed a questionnaire developed for this study consisting of the European Portuguese versions of the MISSCARE Survey, the Nursing Decision-Making Instrument (NDMI-PT), and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI-P). Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the association between MNC, MNC-related factors, and nurses’ decision-making and personality traits. Results A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between nurses’ personality traits and MNC-related factors and MNC (β = 0.14; p  = 0.03; β = 0.27; p  = 0.001, respectively). A negative, statistically significant correlation was found between nurses’ decision-making and MNC (β = -0.16; p  = 0.03). Conclusions Given the direct influence of nurses’ personality traits and decision-making on MNC, nurse managers should implement training programs to promote personal and professional development, thus ensuring the quality of nursing care.