RESUMO
AIMS: To investigate the interrelationships of patient safety, caring behaviours, professional self-efficacy and missed nursing care among emergency room nurses. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, correlational study. METHODS: Filipino emergency room nurses (n = 345) participated via convenience sampling from September 2023 to January 2024. Four validated self-report scales were used to collect data and were analysed using Spearman rho, covariance-based structural equation modelling, mediation and path analyses. RESULTS: The emerging model of study variables displayed satisfactory fit indices. Patient safety directly influenced caring behaviours and professional self-efficacy, while negatively influencing missed nursing care. Caring behaviours directly and indirectly affected professional self-efficacy and missed nursing care, respectively. Professional self-efficacy negatively influences missed nursing care. Finally, caring behaviours and professional self-efficacy were significant mediators between the association of patient safety and missed nursing care. CONCLUSION: Caring behaviours and professional self-efficacy of emergency room nurses demonstrated mediating effects that can potentially improve patient safety practices thereby minimizing unfinished or missed nursing care. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Nurses and healthcare organizations should commit to consistently maintain a workplace culture that fosters patient safety, caring behaviours and professional self-efficacy to minimize avoidable injuries and omitting nursing care tasks. REPORTING METHOD: STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No Patient or Public Contribution.