The role of Nursing in enhancing patient care: A comprehensive review

Authors

  • Abdulrahman Abdulwahab Alghanim
  • Ibrahim Mohammed aldowban
  • Haggad Bajjad almutairi
  • Abdulhakim Saud Alsarami
  • Abdulaziz saleh alhammad
  • Fatemah Ali Al absi
  • Faisal Abdullah Alsbahn

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63682/jns.v15i1.9987

Keywords:

Nursing profession, Patient care, Health-care systems, Nursing roles, Patient-centered care, Clinical practice, Health outcomes, Health-care quality

Abstract

Nursing is a cornerstone of health systems in diverse countries all over the world functioning as a key interface between patients and an ever-complicated medical care. The profession of nursing has over time evolved to include more than just the traditional bedside care to entail more aspects such as advanced clinical judgement, patient advocacy, health promotion, and evidence-based practice. The long-term presence of nurses in the variety of care environments helps them to meet the clinical and psychosocial needs of patients, which creates a powerful impact on the health outcomes, safety, and patient satisfaction.  The reason behind this review is the changing and complex nature of the roles of nursing across the health care continuum, which include acute care, chronic disease management, preventive services, and emergency response. It outlines the role of modern nursing in quality improvement, efficiency, and patient-centered care in hospitals, community settings, and the public health settings.  Health-care organizations and policymakers aiming to maximize the delivery of services and attain sustainable improvements in global health outcomes must have a comprehensive understanding and fortification of the nursing role...

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; National Academy of Medicine; Committee on the Future of Nursing 2020–2030; Flaubert JL, Le Menestrel S, Williams DR, et al., editors. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2021 May 11. 4, The Role of Nurses in Improving Health Care Access and Quality. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573910/

[2] Saifan AR, Aldarawsheh AA, Al-Yateem N, Alharbi HF, Ahmed FR, Saleh ZT, Al-Ryahna S, Rezq KA, Abujaber DA. Beyond the bedside: unravelling the impact of non-nursing tasks on clinical nurses and healthcare delivery. BMC Nurs. 2025 Nov 3;24(1):1362. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-03943-8. PMID: 41184978; PMCID: PMC12581440.

[3] Capon W, Hickie IB, Fetanat M, Varidel M, LaMonica HM, Prodan A, Piper S, Davenport TA, Mughal S, Shah JL, Scott EM, Iorfino F. A multidimensional approach for differentiating the clinical needs of young people presenting for primary mental health care. Compr Psychiatry. 2023 Oct;126:152404. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2023.152404. Epub 2023 Jul 22. PMID: 37524044.

[4] Hughes RG. Tools and Strategies for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety. In: Hughes RG, editor. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2008 Apr. Chapter 44. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2682/

[5] Htay M, Whitehead D. The effectiveness of the role of advanced nurse practitioners compared to physician-led or usual care: A systematic review. Int J Nurs Stud Adv. 2021 Jun 17;3:100034. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnsa.2021.100034. PMID: 38746729; PMCID: PMC11080477.

[6] Davoodvand S, Abbaszadeh A, Ahmadi F. Patient advocacy from the clinical nurses' viewpoint: a qualitative study. J Med Ethics Hist Med. 2016 Jun 11;9:5. PMID: 27471588; PMCID: PMC4958925.

[7] Lorenzini G, Zamboni A, Gelati L, Di Martino A, Pellacani A, Barbieri N, Baraldi M. Emergency team competencies: scoping review for the development of a tool to support the briefing and debriefing activities of emergency healthcare providers. J Anesth Analg Crit Care. 2023 Jul 28;3(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s44158-023-00109-3. PMID: 37507807; PMCID: PMC10386683.

[8] Biswas PS, Jalaluddin M, Sarangi P, Bagchi S. Assessment of Overall Self-Care Among the East Indian Population: An Experimental, Observational, and Validated Study. Oral Sphere J. Dent. Health Sci. 2025;1(3):123-133. doi: 10.63150/osjdhs.2025.9

[9] Hatam N, Askarian M, Taherifard E, Ahmadkhani A, Golabi F, Bordbar S, Taherifard E. Exploring patient-centered care delivery in outpatient settings for older adults: a scoping review and recommendations for implementation in countries with low and middle income. BMC Geriatr. 2025 Nov 21;25(1):940. doi: 10.1186/s12877-025-06643-9. PMID: 41272495; PMCID: PMC12639653.

[10] Considine J, Hutchinson AM, Mitchell I, Bohingamu Mudiyanselage S, Mohebbi M, Watts JJ, Bucknall T. Vital sign assessment and nursing interventions in medical and surgical patients with rapid response system triggers. J Clin Nurs. 2023 Oct;32(19-20):7310-7320. doi: 10.1111/jocn.16810. Epub 2023 Jun 27. PMID: 37365897; PMCID: PMC10946594.

[11] Reuter-Sandquist M; Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN); Ernstmeyer K, Christman E, editors. Nursing Assistant [Internet]. Eau Claire (WI): Chippewa Valley Technical College; 2022. Chapter 1: Communicate Professionally Within a Health Care Setting. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK599382/

[12] Schäfer I, Menzel A, Herrmann T, Willms G, Oltrogge JH, Lühmann D, Scherer M. Compliance and patient satisfaction with treatment settings recommended by the medical on-call service 116117 in Germany using computer-assisted structured initial assessment: a cross-sectional observational study accompanying the demand intervention. BMJ Open. 2023 May 9;13(5):e070475. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-070475. PMID: 37160385; PMCID: PMC10173980.

[13] Molina-Mula J, Gallo-Estrada J. Impact of Nurse-Patient Relationship on Quality of Care and Patient Autonomy in Decision-Making. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jan 29;17(3):835. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17030835. PMID: 32013108; PMCID: PMC7036952.

[14] Gaboury I, Breton M, Perreault K, Bordeleau F, Descôteaux S, Maillet L, Hudon C, Couturier Y, Duhoux A, Vachon B, Cossette B, Rodrigues I, Poitras ME, Loignon C, Vasiliadis HM. Interprofessional advanced access - a quality improvement protocol for expanding access to primary care services. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Aug 13;21(1):812. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-06839-w. PMID: 34388996; PMCID: PMC8361639.

[15] Kim YE, Lee HY. The effects of an emergency department length-of-stay management system on severely ill patients' treatment outcomes. BMC Emerg Med. 2022 Dec 13;22(1):204. doi: 10.1186/s12873-022-00760-z. PMID: 36513973; PMCID: PMC9745968.

[16] Missel M, Kurita GP, Lindblad MKE, Laursen L, Eidemak I, Johansen DT, Larsen S, Witting N, Piil K, Andersen LK. Navigating the Healthcare System With Chronic Illness: A Qualitative Study of Caregiver Experiences. Scand J Caring Sci. 2025 Sep;39(3):e70094. doi: 10.1111/scs.70094. PMID: 40772519; PMCID: PMC12329780.

[17] Alansari AN, Omri AE, Singh K. Staff shortages linked to burnout, depression, and anxiety among outpatient nurses: a cross-sectional analysis at Hamad General Hospital, Qatar. BMC Nurs. 2025 Aug 26;24(1):1118. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-03758-7. PMID: 40859218; PMCID: PMC12379308.

[18] Rostami V, Hatam N, Bahrami MA, Rakhshan M, Shokri A. Transforming Nursing Practices: A Comprehensive Review of Performance Improvement Strategies. Health Sci Rep. 2025 May 5;8(5):e70804. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.70804. PMID: 40330747; PMCID: PMC12052499.

[19] Moran S, Bailey ME, Doody O. Role and contribution of the nurse in caring for patients with palliative care needs: A scoping review. PLoS One. 2024 Aug 23;19(8):e0307188. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307188. PMID: 39178200; PMCID: PMC11343417.

[20] Chua WL, Teh CS, Basri MABA, Ong ST, Phang NQQ, Goh EL. Nurses' knowledge and confidence in recognizing and managing patients with sepsis: A multi-site cross-sectional study. J Adv Nurs. 2023 Feb;79(2):616-629. doi: 10.1111/jan.15435. Epub 2022 Sep 7. PMID: 36069994; PMCID: PMC10087790.

[21] Shang J, Needleman J, Liu J, Larson E, Stone PW. Nurse Staffing and Healthcare-Associated Infection, Unit-Level Analysis. J Nurs Adm. 2019 May;49(5):260-265. doi: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000748. PMID: 31008835; PMCID: PMC6478399.

[22] Bergh AL, Friberg F, Persson E, Dahlborg-Lyckhage E. Registered Nurses' Patient Education in Everyday Primary Care Practice: Managers' Discourses. Glob Qual Nurs Res. 2015 Aug 16;2:2333393615599168. doi: 10.1177/2333393615599168. PMID: 28462314; PMCID: PMC5342863.

[23] Soleimani N, Ebrahimi F, Mirzaei M. Self-management education for hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia as major risk factors for cardiovascular disease: Insights from stakeholders' experiences and expectations. PLoS One. 2024 Sep 26;19(9):e0310961. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310961. PMID: 39325734; PMCID: PMC11426497.

[24] Haddad LM, Geiger RA. Nursing Ethical Considerations. [Updated 2023 Aug 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526054/

[25] Pan WJ, Wang SF. Understanding patients' emotional needs to strengthen therapeutic relationships: A deep insight into narrative nursing. World J Psychiatry. 2025 Mar 19;15(3):103093. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i3.103093. PMID: 40109985; PMCID: PMC11886313.

[26] A Collaboration of the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders and the African Science Academy Development Initiative; Board on Health Sciences Policy; Institute of Medicine. Strengthening Human Resources Through Development of Candidate Core Competencies for Mental, Neurological, and Substance Use Disorders in Sub-Saharan Africa: Workshop Summary. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2013 Oct 8. C, Provider Definitions and Relationship Roles. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK174485/

[27] Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Optimizing Graduate Medical Trainee (Resident) Hours and Work Schedule to Improve Patient Safety; Ulmer C, Miller Wolman D, Johns MME, editors. Resident Duty Hours: Enhancing Sleep, Supervision, and Safety. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2009. 8, System Strategies to Improve Patient Safety and Error Prevention. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK214937/

[28] Jennings BM. Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses: Role of the Work Environment and Working Conditions. In: Hughes RG, editor. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2008 Apr. Chapter 26. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2668/

[29] Pereira SCA, Ribeiro OMPL, Fassarella CS, Santos EJF. The impact of nursing practice environments on patient safety culture in primary health care: a scoping review. BJGP Open. 2024 Apr 25;8(1):BJGPO.2023.0062. doi: 10.3399/BJGPO.2023.0062. PMID: 37604581; PMCID: PMC11169981.

[30] van Kraaij J, van Merode F, Lenssen E, Vermeulen H, van Oostveen C, Rn Blend Consortium. Organizational Rigidity and Demands: A Qualitative Study on Nursing Work in Complex Organizations. Nurs Rep. 2024 Nov 4;14(4):3346-3360. doi: 10.3390/nursrep14040242. PMID: 39585133; PMCID: PMC11587448.

[31] Rahmadani VG, Schaufeli WB, Stouten J, Zhang Z, Zulkarnain Z. Engaging Leadership and Its Implication for Work Engagement and Job Outcomes at the Individual and Team Level: A Multi-Level Longitudinal Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Jan 26;17(3):776. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17030776. PMID: 31991897; PMCID: PMC7037879.

[32] Kim B, Wilson SM, Mosher TM, Breland JY. Systematic Decision-Making for Using Technological Strategies to Implement Evidence-Based Interventions: An Illustrated Case Study. Front Psychiatry. 2021 May 14;12:640240. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.640240. PMID: 34079479; PMCID: PMC8166223.

[33] Paterick TE, Patel N, Tajik AJ, Chandrasekaran K. Improving health outcomes through patient education and partnerships with patients. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent). 2017 Jan;30(1):112-113. doi: 10.1080/08998280.2017.11929552. PMID: 28152110; PMCID: PMC5242136.

[34] Branjerdporn G, Gillespie KM, Dymond A, Reyes NJD, Robertson J, Almeida-Crasto A, Bethi S. Development of an Interprofessional Psychosocial Interventions Framework. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Apr 13;20(8):5495. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20085495. PMID: 37107777; PMCID: PMC10138946.

[35] Rafii F, Fatemi NS, Danielson E, Johansson CM, Modanloo M. Compliance to treatment in patients with chronic illness: A concept exploration. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2014 Mar;19(2):159-67. PMID: 24834085; PMCID: PMC4020025.

[36] Will KK, Johnson ML, Lamb G. Team-Based Care and Patient Satisfaction in the Hospital Setting: A Systematic Review. J Patient Cent Res Rev. 2019 Apr 29;6(2):158-171. doi: 10.17294/2330-0698.1695. PMID: 31414027; PMCID: PMC6676761.

[37] Kodi S M, Sharma SK. Realities, scope, challenges, and facilitators for implementation of nurse practitioner's role in India: A review. Int J Nurs Sci. 2021 Apr 12;8(2):237-242. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnss.2021.03.003. PMID: 33997140; PMCID: PMC8105548.

[38] Cassidy CE, Harrison MB, Godfrey C, Nincic V, Khan PA, Oakley P, Ross-White A, Grantmyre H, Graham ID. Use and effects of implementation strategies for practice guidelines in nursing: a systematic review. Implement Sci. 2021 Dec 4;16(1):102. doi: 10.1186/s13012-021-01165-5. PMID: 34863220; PMCID: PMC8642950.

[39] Bhati D, Deogade MS, Kanyal D. Improving Patient Outcomes Through Effective Hospital Administration: A Comprehensive Review. Cureus. 2023 Oct 26;15(10):e47731. doi: 10.7759/cureus.47731. PMID: 38021686; PMCID: PMC10676194.

[40] Shabana Khan, Sharick Shamsi, Asmaa AA Alyaemni, Samiha Abdelkader, Effect of Ultrasound and Exercise Combined and Exercise alone in the Treatment of Chronic Back Pain, Indian Journal of Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy,2013;7:2.

Downloads

Published

2026-02-10

How to Cite

1.
Abdulwahab Alghanim A, aldowban IM, almutairi HB, Saud Alsarami A, alhammad A saleh, Al absi FA, et al. The role of Nursing in enhancing patient care: A comprehensive review. J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2026 Feb. 10 [cited 2026 May 24];15(1):110-6. Available from: https://jneonatalsurg.com/index.php/jns/article/view/9987

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 1 (2026): Journal of Neonatal Surgery

Section

Original Article

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

You are free to:

  • Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  • No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.