Pages: 60-64

Abstract

Purpose: Job stress is one of the most important sources of stress for human beings; Nursing profession has gained considerable attention in this regard. One of these stresses is the moral distress. The present study intended to evaluate the moral distress of nurses working in the emergency departments and intensive care units of the medical education centers affiliated with Zanjan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: The present research is a descriptive-analytical study on 240 nurses working in the emergency and intensive care units of the medical education centers affiliated with Zanjan University of Medical Sciences in 2016; the nurses were selected based on census method. Data collection tools comprised demographic questionnaire and Corley’s Moral Distress Scale. Data were analyzed in SPSS22. Results: The results if the present study indicated that the frequency and severity of moral distress of nurses working in the emergency departments and intensive care units was moderate. Conclusion: With respect to the moderate moral distress of nurses in the present study, it seems necessary to develop supportive strategies and moderate some of factors affecting moral distress of nurses in order to prevent such stresses.