The relationship between nurses healthcare quality literacy and their perceptiıons of healthcare quality

Aim: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between nurses' health quality literacy and their perceptions of healthcare quality. Material and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted with nurses working at a training and research hospital. The study sample consisted of 300 nurses who met the inclusion criteria and voluntarily agreed to participate. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews by the researcher using the Personal Information Form, the Health Quality Literacy Scale, and the Healthcare Professionals' Quality Perception Scale. Descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test, the Kruskal–Wallis test, and Spearman's correlation analysis were used for data analysis. Results: The mean total score for nurses' health quality literacy was 69.14 ± 16.24, while the mean total score for healthcare quality perception was 68.95 ± 14.75. Health quality literacy levels differed significantly according to educational status, years of service in the same unit, receiving quality-related training, and following professional developments. Healthcare quality perception differed significantly according to years of nursing experience, years of service in the same unit, perceived adequacy of the number of nurses, and satisfaction with the unit (p < 0.05). A statistically significant, moderate, and positive correlation was found between health quality literacy and healthcare quality perception (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The findings indicated that nurses had above-moderate levels of both health quality literacy and healthcare quality perception. As health quality literacy increased, nurses' perceptions of healthcare quality also improved. Accordingly, it is recommended that continuous educational programs be implemented to enhance nurses' knowledge and awareness of quality processes, workforce planning be strengthened, and institutional improvements be made to optimize working conditions.