Assessment of Nursing Care Quality and Its Association with ClinicalOutcomes Among Hospitalized Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study fromArar, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Nursing care quality is a critical determinant of patient safety and clinical outcomes in hospital
settings. However, empirical evidence linking patient-perceived nursing care quality to objective clinical outcomes in Saudi Arabian
hospitals remains limited, particularly in the Northern Border region.
Objective: To assess the level of nursing care quality as perceived by hospitalised patients and to examine its association with
selected clinical outcomes, including hospital-acquired infections, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality.
Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational design was employed among 48 hospitalised adult patients admitted to the medicalsurgical wards of a tertiary care hospital affiliated with the College of Nursing, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia,
between April 2022 and December 2022. Nursing care quality was measured using the Arabic version of the Patient Satisfaction
with Nursing Care Quality Questionnaire (PSNCQQ). Clinical outcome data were extracted from medical records. Descriptive
statistics, Pearson correlation, and logistic regression were used for analysis.
Results: The mean overall PSNCQQ score was 3.89 ± 0.62 on a 5-point scale. Hospital-acquired infections occurred in 12.5% of
patients (n = 6), the mean length of stay was 7.4 ± 3.8 days, and in-hospital mortality was 4.2% (n = 2). Higher PSNCQQ scores
were significantly associated with shorter length of stay (r = −0.41, p = 0.004) and lower odds of hospital-acquired infection (OR
= 0.32, 95% CI: 0.12–0.87, p = 0.025).
Conclusion: Patient-perceived nursing care quality was significantly associated with favourable clinical outcomes. Strengthening
nursing care processes in Saudi hospitals may contribute to reduced infection rates and shorter hospital stays.