The Influence of Missed Nursing Care on Satisfaction With Nursing Care and Trust in Nurses Among Patients With Cancer: A Descriptive, Correlational Study

ABSTRACT Aim This study aimed to examine the influence of missed nursing care on satisfaction with nursing care and trust in nurses among patients with cancer. Design A descriptive and correlational study. Methods The study involved 271 patients with cancer hospitalised in the Medical Oncology units of a university‐affiliated Oncology Hospital in Türkiye. Data were collected using the Patient Information Form, MISSCARE Survey‐Patient (MCSP), Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale (NSNCS) and Trust in Nurses Scale (TNS) between December 26, 2022, and August 30, 2023. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted using SPSS 26. The STROBE checklist guided reporting. Result Mean scores were 1.71 (SD = 0.77; possible range = 1–5) for the communication subscale of the MCSP, 3.86 (SD = 1.19; possible range = 1–5) for the basic care subscale of the MCSP, 92.93 (SD = 13.80; possible range = 0–100) for NSNCS and 27.64 (SD = 3.21; possible range = 5–30) for TNS. Missed communication was statistically significantly and negatively correlated with both satisfaction and trust, whereas missed basic care was not significantly correlated with either. Regression analyses confirmed that missed communication significantly and negatively predicted satisfaction and trust, whereas missed basic care did not. Conclusion(s) Missed communication was associated with lower satisfaction with nursing care and reduced trust in nurses among patients with cancer, whereas missed basic care, despite higher levels, did not predict either outcome. These findings highlight the central role of nurse–patient communication in shaping patients' perceptions of nursing care quality in oncology settings. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care Within oncology care contexts, healthcare institutions and nurse managers should prioritise strategies to reduce missed nursing care, particularly missed communication. Short‐term actions include strengthening nurse–patient communication through structured communication training and manageable workloads, while long‐term strategies should embed communication and basic care standards into institutional quality frameworks to enhance patient satisfaction and trust. Patient or Public Contribution Patients contributed by completing questionnaires.