The Relationship between Moral Sensitivity, Ethical Climate, and Job Strain with Patient Privacy from Viewpoint of Operating Room Staffs

Abstract

Background: The privacy of patients in the operating room is in particular importance. The results of previous studies have shown that various factors are affecting in this context. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between moral sensitivity, ethical climate, and job strain with respect to patients' privacy in operating rooms. Materials and Methods: All of operating rooms nurses of teaching hospitals affiliated to Ardabil University of Medical Sciences were entered into this descriptive-analytical study with census sampling method in 2019. To collect data, standard surveys of moral sensitivity, ethical climate, job strain, and privacy were used. Data were analyzed by SPSS15 software using descriptive and analytical statistics methods (independent t -test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis). Results: There was a positive significant relationship between moral sensitivity and privacy ( r = 0.56, p < 0.001) and ethical climate and privacy ( r = 0.60, p < 0.001), too. But, there was an inverse and significant correlation between job strain and privacy ( r = -0.69, p < 0.001). The results also showed that moral sensitivity is the best predictor of patients' privacy. Conclusions: Despite the predictability of all variables, results showed that moral sensitivity is the most important component in patients' privacy. In this regard, by increasing the moral sensitivity of nurses, the privacy of patients can be improved.

Nurses' Moral Sensitivity and Observance of Patient Privacy: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…It has been observed that there is a positively and significant relationship between the moral sensitivity of nurses and patient privacy and that this is a more predictor variable for patient privacy than others. 7 In addition, in a study conducted with student nurses, it was shown that the behaviors of trainee nurses to protect patient privacy were significantly positively related to patient privacy protection cognition, moral sensitivity and empathy. 33…”

“…6 Privacy in care practices has physical, social, psychological and cognitive aspects. 7 The absence of direct intervention on the patient's body is an example of physical privacy; the patient's control over the parties, frequency and duration of interpersonal relationships is an example of social privacy. Psychological privacy is the process of controlling one's cognition, mood, shaping values and protecting individual identity.…”

“…The moral sensitivity of nurses can be affected by the working environment and the conditions of the clinical environment, the age of people and their attitude towards the profession, culture, education level, ethical education, nursing care burden. 7 Moral sensitivity is associated positively with ethical decision-making. 13 In addition to being the source of nursing ethics, moral sensitivity is a prerequisite for nurses' service behavior.…”

Experiences of Operating Room Professionals During the 2020 Izmir Earthquake: A Qualitative Approach

“…46 A separate study suggested a correlation between the moral awareness of operating room nurses and ethical conduct. 47 Based on our research, participants associated ethical conduct with professionalism rather than moral behavior. However, there is a lack of research on ethical dilemmas during earthquakes.…”

Ethical climate in healthcare: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Studies that utilised the HECS (n = 43) were geographically diverse. The majority of studies were carried out in Iran (n = 13) 2 20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32 and the US (n = 10). [33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42] Several studies were carried out in Asia (n = 11) 10,[43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51] and Europe (n = 6).…”