Moral Courage as a Predictor of Moral Comfort in Critical Care Nurses

Improving the experience of moral comfort is essential for helping intensive care unit (ICU) nurses achieve peace of mind while also ensuring the safety and comfort of their patients. Moral comfort is promoted through the presence of both personal and environmental factors, among which moral courage is a key personal element.

The aim of this study is to find out the role of moral courage in the moral comfort of nurses working in ICUs.

This study used a cross-sectional design.

This study involved 153 nurses working in the ICUs of two hospitals affiliated with Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran, between April 2025 and June 2025. Data were collected using a demographic form and two questionnaires on moral comfort and moral courage. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics in SPSS22.

The mean scores for moral courage and moral comfort were 83.66 ± 13.17 and 99.86 ± 16.27, respectively. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between moral courage and moral comfort (r = 0.595, p < 0.001). Furthermore, moral courage predicted 35% variance in moral comfort.

The findings indicate that moral courage is a significant predictor of moral comfort among ICU nurses. Nurses with higher levels of moral courage are more likely to experience moral comfort, which may enhance their psychological well-being and professional performance in ethically challenging environments such as the ICU.

Nursing managers should recognize the crucial role of moral courage in fostering moral comfort and strive to create supportive environments that empower nurses to act in alignment with their ethical values. To enhance moral comfort, healthcare organizations should invest in cultivating moral courage through targeted training programs, supportive leadership, and a culture that encourages nurses to voice concerns and advocate for their patients.