NURSES’ PERCEPTIONS OF ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AND ITS INFLUENCE ON QUALITY OF PATIENT CARE IN TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS IN KARACHI.

Abstract

Organizational support influences the working conditions that nurses face while providing patient care, including access to resources, supervisory guidance, and responsive communication. The tertiary care hospital can benefit from nurses’ view of this support to enhance the quality of care. A qualitative phenomenology design was used to examine the lived experiences of nurses and the meanings they ascribed to organizational support in their clinical practice. Ten registered nurses who had been involved in direct patient care were recruited via purposive sampling. Data was gathered through individual interviews using a semi-structured interview. The guide had open-ended questions about organizational resources, supervisory support, professional guidance, communication, staff well-being and perceived implications for patient care. Thematic analysis of the interview data was performed by repeated reading, identifying noteworthy statements, categorizing and organizing related meanings into subthemes and overarching themes. The four core themes discovered were: organizational settings that enable patient care; leadership and professional support; communication and psychological safety; and staff well-being and ability to deliver person-centered care. When staffing was adequate, resources were dependable, supervision and mentorship were accessible, nurses felt they were able to offer timely and coordinated treatment. The need for respectful responses to concerns and consistent communication to seek support and maintain continuity between shifts was evident. Emotional support, an opportunity for recuperation and adequate time for patient communication were also perceived to be relevant to attentive and compassionate therapy. In contrast, reports suggested that individual ability, teamwork and local coordination remained vital besides organizational assistance. The study showed that perceived organizational support for nurses was based on practical help, responsive relationships and working conditions that affected their ability to give quality care. Hospitals need to re-examine the way work is allocated, to improve clinical mentorship and feedback, to enable staff recovery and to safeguard possibilities for patient education and proper family engagement.