Moral distress effects on spirituality determinants in nurses.

Abstract

Background: Moral distress in nurses is a widespread issue with lasting consequences. Understanding the relationship between spiritual factors, like spiritual sensitivity, workplace spirituality, and moral distress, is important due to the significant role of spirituality in nursing ethics. This study explores the connections between these three phenomena, focusing on the psychological, spiritual, and ethical dimensions of nursing.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 120 nurses from hospitals affiliated with Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, selected randomly using a number table. Inclusion criteria were having at least a bachelor's degree in nursing, at least 6 months of work experience, and no history of mental health issues or medication use. Participants completed questionnaires on moral distress (Hamrick et al.), workplace spirituality, and spiritual sensitivity. Descriptive tests were used to determine the frequency distribution of demographic variables. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent t-tests were used to compare the mean scores of variables across different groups of nurses based on demographic factors. Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear regression were used to determine relationships between the variables. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23, with a significance level set at 0.05.

Results: In determining the relationship between moral distress and the study variables, demographic and occupational variables (i.e., gender, age, and type of department and moral distress) were significantly related. Similarly, it shows that gender, level of education, and the organization's type of department significantly impact spiritual sensitivity. Conversely, there is a significant relationship between age, the organization's department type, and workplace spirituality. Workplace spirituality and spiritual sensitivity displayed substantial negative correlations with moral distress.

Conclusion: According to this study, positive environmental and individual spiritual factors significantly influenced and reduced moral distress in nurses. The findings highlight the significance of spiritual education for nurses to strengthen spiritual awareness and environmental strategies to promote a spiritual environment in healthcare settings. More studies are suggested in this field.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.