A Study of How Moral Courage and Moral Sensitivity Correlate with Safe Care in Special Care Nursing

Abstract

Background. Nursing is a caring profession, and nurses who have moral sensitivity and moral courage presumably can provide safe and better care for patients. This study aims at investigating how moral courage and moral sensitivity correlate with safe care in special care nursing. Methods. This study is a descriptive work of research. The participants consisted of 524 nurses who were in practice in the ICU (intensive care unit), CCU (C\coronary care unit), post-CCU (postcoronary care unit), and dialysis of four hospitals located in the south of Iran selected via census sampling. Data were collected from April to September 2020 using the moral sensitivity questionnaire (MSQ), professional moral courage questionnaire (PMCQ), and the assessment of safe nursing care questionnaire (ASNCQ). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, chi-square, multiple regression analysis, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient in SPSS v. 22. Results. The mean ± SD of the nurses’ age was 33.89 ± 6.91 years, and the mean ± SD of their work experience was 9.16 ± 4.67 years. The total mean score ± SD of the nurses’ moral sensitivity was found to be 93.41 ± 2.68, the total mean score ± SD of their moral courage was found to be 96.38 ± 3.63, and the total mean score ± SD of their safe care scores was found to be 321.80 ± 9.76. The values of Pearson’s correlation coefficients showed significant correlations between moral courage and safe care (r = 0.54, p < 0.001 ), moral sensitivity and safe care (r = 0.59, p < 0.001 ), and moral sensitivity and moral courage (r = 0.52, p < 0.001 ). Conclusion. There is a positive correlation between moral sensitivity and moral courage. Both positively correlated with special care nursing. Accordingly, through effective planning, education, and giving their support, nurse administrators can promote the abovementioned ethical virtues in the nursing staff, thereby improving the quality of care.

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“…Mohammadi, in his study mentioned that as nurses' experience increased, the impact of barriers in the work environment decreased on nurses' performance and moral courage boosted [32]. Lai jianbo believed that moral courage was acquired over time and by observing the courageous behavior of others [32]. The findings of the mentioned study revealed that people who were civil servants and had job security showed more courageous behavior, which was confirmed by Mohammadi [28].…”

“…Moradzadeh et al [30] found that there was a significant positive relationship between work experience and courage [31]. Mohammadi, in his study mentioned that as nurses' experience increased, the impact of barriers in the work environment decreased on nurses' performance and moral courage boosted [32]. Lai jianbo believed that moral courage was acquired over time and by observing the courageous behavior of others [32].…”

“…The moral courage score is obtained by calculating the average of the total score of the items, resulting in a total range score of 15-75. The scores are interpreted as low moral courage (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34), moderate moral courage , and good moral courage (56-75).…”

The Relationship Between Safe Nursing Care and Professional Commitment of Nurses in Iranian Educational-Therapeutic Hospitals

“…However, there was no significant relationship between age and safe care, while the results showed a significant relationship between age and the level of nurses' professional commitment. In this regard, Mohammadi et al showed that safe care was significantly related to age and work experience (28). However, Al-Hamdan et al reported no significant relationship between patient safety and nurse's age and nursing experience, while nurses' professional commitment was influenced by nursing experience (29).…”

Evaluating the moral courage of nurses and its relationship with their caring behaviors

“…The reliability of this questionnaire was calculated by Cannon using Cronbach's alpha coe cient of 0.85. Its reliability was con rmed in Iran by Mahdaviseresht with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.81 (14).…”