Effects of mothers’ perceptions of nurses’ communication ability on perceived quality of nursing care: mediation by the mother–nurse partnership in a cross-sectional study in South Korea

Purpose: This study examined the mediating role of the mother–nurse partnership in the relationship between mothers’ perceptions of nurses’ communication ability and perceived quality of nursing care.Methods: Between August and November 2024, a questionnaire survey was administered to mothers whose preschool-aged children were hospitalized for 2–7 days at a tertiary hospital in South Korea. The data were summarized using descriptive statistics and analyzed using correlation analysis and the PROCESS macro.Results: Mean scores for mothers’ perceptions of nurses’ communication ability, the mother–nurse partnership, and perceived quality of nursing care were 4.17, 4.23, and 8.97, respectively. The mother–nurse partnership mediated this relationship. Kinesics, proxemics, and paralanguage had indirect effects on perceived quality of nursing care through the mother–nurse partnership, and proxemics also had a direct effect.Conclusion: The findings indicate a mediating role for the mother–nurse partnership in the relationship between mothers’ perceptions of nurses’ communication ability and perceived quality of nursing care. They also highlight the importance of nurses’ nonverbal communication, particularly kinesics, proxemics, and paralanguage, within this mediating pathway.