Two decades of nursing service quality research in Asia: State of the art and future directions

Purpose Nursing service quality (NSQ) is central to effective care delivery, healthcare system performance, and professional nursing practice. This systematic literature review (SLR) examines NSQ research in Asia to identify publication trends, theoretical foundations, key themes, and directions for future research. Design/methodology/approach A total of 1,271 peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and 2024 were retrieved from the Scopus database and systematically analyzed following the PRISMA framework. Findings The review identifies five major research streams: nursing practice and patient care; quality of life and patient-centered outcomes; hospital management and healthcare systems; emerging healthcare challenges; and pandemic response. Key antecedents of NSQ include staffing and resources, leadership and administration, and health system infrastructure. Core elements of NSQ are relational care, professional competence, and adaptive capacity. The consequences of NSQ span patient outcomes, nurse well-being, organizational performance, and broader societal impact. Future research should focus on workforce resilience, leadership processes, patient safety and ethics, and the development of integrated, population-specific care models. Originality/value This study contributes to NSQ scholarship by synthesizing two decades of research in the Asian context. It highlights critical gaps in existing knowledge, offers evidence-based insights for healthcare leaders and policymakers, and outlines theoretical and methodological directions for future studies. The review provides a comprehensive foundation for strengthening NSQ in an underexplored regional context.