Aim This study aimed to compare perception of nurses about missed care for the patients before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) in Jordan. It also examined how nurses differed in terms of the type of missed care and the factors that contributed to it before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Additionally, socio‐demographic factors, including gender, educational level, length of clinical experience, work position, age, and type of shift, were examined to evaluate their association with missed nursing care. Background Missed nursing care refers to omission of any aspect of required patient care. Missed care lowers patient satisfaction and also leads to adverse hospital outcomes. Methods We adopted a cross‐sectional design among 260 nurses working in medical/surgical wards and intensive care units. Views of 130 nurses before COVID‐19 were compared with views of 130 nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We used the Arabic version of the MISSCARE survey. Data were collected between November 2019 and May 2020. Results During COVID‐19, nurses had significantly higher satisfaction levels and lower levels of absence and intention to leave than nurses before the COVID‐19 pandemic. Differences were observed between nurses’ perceptions of missed care before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic. It was observed that missed nursing care increased during COVID‐19. The inadequate number of staff nurses was the main reason for missed care activities among both groups. Additionally, age and shift type were significantly associated with an increased reason for missed nursing care among both groups. Conclusion and implications for nursing Nurses reported higher satisfaction levels and fewer absences and planned departures during this period. Nurse managers should pay attention by maintaining high satisfaction levels and formulating appropriate policies to reduce missed care levels and thus improve patient care quality.

Aim To explore the validity and reliability of the Missed Nursing Care Survey after translating it into the Arabic language. Methods We employed a cross‐sectional design. We recruited 260 Jordanian nurses, and data were collected between May and July 2020. Translation, acceptability, construct, convergent, discriminant validity and reliability were investigated. Results The factor analysis showed an adequate fit (three subscales) between the proposed missing care survey model and the observed data. This model reflected the survey's construct, convergent and discriminant validity, explaining 58.88% of the variance collectively. Confirmatory factor analyses showed adequate goodness‐of‐fit results (goodness of fit index = 0.91, comparative fit index = 0.94, increment fit index = 0.94, Tucker Lewis index = 0.92 and root mean square error of approximation = 0.06). The total Cronbach alpha and composite reliability achieved the criterion for all constructs in this survey. Conclusion This Arabic version of the Missed Nursing Care Survey achieved the required level of validity and reliability. Measuring missed care and its reasons may help to improve quality of health services and assist nurse managers in designing appropriate interventions to reduce it. Adoption of culturally acceptable instruments by health‐care policymakers may support patient safety.