MORAL COURAGE OF NURSES IN EDUCATIONAL AND THERAPEUTIC CENTERS OF URMIA UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

Moral courage is a virtue that is essential for the Conscientious functioning of all healthcare providers, especially nurses and having a high level of virtue is very important Because in service provider organizations, with increasing roles and number of clients, increasing the awareness of clients, Changes in people's health needs, social justice and access to health services, moral distress has increased. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the moral courage of nurses.

This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Urmia in 2018. The statistical population of this study was nurses working in different parts of educational and therapeutic centers of Urmia University of Medical Sciences. The sample size was 305 people who were selected by Simple random method and in the form of proportion. The data were collected by using of the ethical courage questionnaire of sekerka and et al and by using of SPSS v.16, descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA were analyzed.

The mean moral courage score was 86/09±15/62 (range 21-105). The ethical factor dimension (17/81 ±3/51) and the multiple values dimension (16/80 ±3/71) respectively, had the highest and lowest average. There was a positive and significant relationship between age and work history and marital status with moral courage (p <0/05).

According to the results of this study, the average ethical courage of nurses and also the ethical factor dimension were at the desirable level. Therefore, this important moral virtue can be promoted through effective planning and education and organizational support, and subsequently, we will see an increase in the quality of care.