LAUSR

Abstract Background During the pandemic process, nursing care has gained more importance. So, it is critical to evaluate the level of trust in nurses and the perception of care in terms of the patient, in order to improve the care service provided, to achieve the desired successful patient results, to ensure patient satisfaction in nursing care and to create a healthy society in the long term. Aim This study aimed to examine the relationship between the level of trust in nurses, care perceptions of patients receiving care with the diagnosis of Covid‐19, and the level of trust in nurses and care quality perceptions of patients. Methods This descriptive, cross‐sectional, correlational study was conducted in the Covid‐19 unit of a state hospital in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey between May and October 2021. The sample size was calculated as 227 using the sample calculation formula whose population is unknown in the literature. ‘Personal Information Form’, ‘Trust in Nurses Scale’ and ‘Patient Perception of Hospital Experience with Nursing (PPHEN)’ was used to collect data. Ethical approval was obtained from the clinical research ethics committee, Results The total mean score of the patients' trust in nurses scale was 27.67 ± 3.29 (min: 15, max: 30); the mean score of the patients' Perception of Nursing Care scale was determined as 69.52 ± 12.51 (min:15, max:75). It has been determined that the level of trust in nurses and the perception of nursing care of patients receiving Covid‐19 treatment are high. A positive, significant and weak relationship (r = 0.348, p < 0.01) was found between the patients' level of trust in nurses and their perceptions of nursing care. Conclusion During the pandemic process, trust in the patient–nurse relationship increases the patient's perception of nursing care and positively affects the quality of care.