Relationship between moral distress and moral courage in nurses

In the nursing profession، moral distress is a challenge thatc an have different consequences. The nurses’ moral courage to make the right decision can play an important role in the prevention of moral distress، and thus promote moral comfort. The present study examined the relationship between moral distress and moral courage in nurses. In this study، 313 nurses from hospitals in southern Khorasan Province were selected through quota sampling، and Corley’s Moral Distress Scale and the Professional Moral Courage Scale by Sekerka، et al. were used for data collection. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics. The findings showed a significant relationship between the intensity of moral distress and moral courage (P = 0. 03، r = - 0. 44). From a range of 0 - 5، the mean of moral distress was 3. 7 ± 0. 5 in terms of intensity، and 3. 55 ± 0. 86 in terms of frequency. The mean score of moral courage was calculated at 3. 33 ± 0. 46 from a range of 1 - 5. The significant correlation between moral distress and moral courage strongly suggests that high levels of moral courage in nurses can play an important role in controlling moral distress. Determining the factors that create moral courage and developing strategies and circumstances such as promoting an appropriate moral climate could play a major role in encouraging moral behavior and controlling moral distress.