Investigating moral sensitivity and moral distress in nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in medical training centers of Hamedan University of Medical Sciences
akhlāq-i pizishkī i.e., Medical Ethics,
Vol. 17 No. 48 (1402),
21 August 2023
,
Page 1-14
https://doi.org/10.22037/mej.v17i48.42345
Abstract
Background: Moral sensitivity enables nurses to interpret the needs of their clients and respond to them according to ethical principles, which can play an important role in preventing situations that cause moral distress. Moral distress is a well-known phenomenon in the nursing profession that can cause a lot of physical and mental stress on nurses and cause them to be dissatisfied, reducing the efficiency and quality of care. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of determining moral sensitivity and moral distress in nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in medical training centers affiliated to Hamedan University of Medical Sciences in 2019.
Materials and methods: The current research is a descriptive-analytical study that was conducted on 180 nurses of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in 2019 by stratified random sampling method. The data collection tools included a three-part demographic information questionnaire, MMSQ moral sensitivity and Corelli's moral distress. The data were analyzed by statistical software and using independent t-test, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA, Spearman's correlation coefficient, chi-score.
Results: The average moral sensitivity score of nurses was reported as 57.78 ± 13.53. The mean frequency of moral distress was 17.99 ± 37.01 and the intensity of moral distress was 52.83 ± 23.51. According to the classification, the frequency of moral distress is in the medium range and the intensity of moral distress is in the high range. In the examination of the relationship between sensitivity and repetition of moral distress among the subgroups of experiencing problems, the manner of interpersonal communication, independence and job sensitivity, a significant relationship was seen with repetition of moral distress. With the increase of these subgroups, the repetition of job distress also increases significantly.
Ethical Considerations: This research has been approved by the ethics committee of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences (IR.UMSHA.REC.1399.090). After obtaining informed consent from the participants, the researcher assured them that all their information would be confidential.
Conclusion: Considering the average level of ethical sensitivity of nurses, efforts should be made to improve and promote ethical issues in nursing. Various factors are involved in the level of moral sensitivity and moral distress of nurses in caring for patients. In this research, it was in a situation where the nurses were facing the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic and were under high organizational and psychological pressures. Therefore, for a better conclusion, it is suggested that this research be conducted with more samples and in the inpatient wards of affected patients and other departments.
- Moral Sensitivity
- Moral Distress
- Covid-19
- Nurse
How to Cite
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