Moral Distress and Related Factors among Nurses Working in the Emergency Departments: A Cross-sectional Study

The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of moral distress (MD) and its associated factors among emergency department nurses.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 on 172 nurses from the emergency departments of medical training centers affiliated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. The census method was used to collect the data, which included demographic variables and Corley's MD questionnaire. The Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22), using an independent T-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regressions.

Out of 172 nurses, 60.5% were women, with an average age of 32.52±6.88 years. The results demonstrated an average MD score of 69.73±25.68. In terms of frequency and intensity, around 53.5% of the participants experienced MD at a low level (0-72), while the remaining 46.5% reported experiencing it at a medium level (14-73). A significant association was found between MD and age (p=0.037), workplace hospital (p=0.005), and history of mental disorders (p=0.005). Furthermore, linear regression analysis revealed a statistically significant association between MD, marital status, and occupational type (p<0.05).

The results showed that nurses had low to moderate levels of MD. Several factors, including age, history of mental disorders, marital status, employment type, workplace hospital, and education, were associated with the overall MD score. To reduce MD and its negative effects on nurses, it is necessary to address these factors and develop an effective strategy for identifying and managing MD to improve nursing care quality.