Moral Sensitivity Among Nurses in Cardiac Critical Care Units of 
Selected Hospitals Affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2024

Dorri, Safoura; Rasooli, Seyed Ali; Hakimi, Hamideh

Volume 17 - Supplement of 11th Annual Iranian Congress of Medical Ethics IJMEHM 2024, 17 - Supplement of 11th Annual Iranian Congress of Medical Ethics : 1-2 | Back to browse issues page

Mendeley

Zotero

RefWorks

Dorri S, Rasooli S A, Hakimi H. Moral Sensitivity Among Nurses in Cardiac Critical Care Units of Selected Hospitals Affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2024. IJMEHM 2024; 17 (S1) :1-2
URL: http://ijme.tums.ac.ir/article-1-7171-en.html

Moral Sensitivity Among Nurses in Cardiac Critical Care Units of Selected Hospitals Affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2024

Safoura Dorri¹, Seyed Ali Rasooli ^*¹, Hamideh Hakimi²

1- Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Research Institute for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran

Abstract: (66 Views)

Moral sensitivity, defined as the ability to recognize and assess the ethical complexities of clinical situations and make appropriate ethical decisions, is a crucial skill for nurses. Despite its importance, various studies report varying levels of moral sensitivity among nurses, suggesting a gap in this competency. Nurses’ continuous exposure to ethical dilemmas can lead to adverse outcomes, including psychological and moral distress, decreased job satisfaction, and compromised care quality. As moral sensitivity can differ across healthcare settings and may change over time, studies assessing its levels across different periods are essential. This study aims to assess the level of moral sensitivity among nurses in hospitals affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2024. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 200 nurses working in cardiac intensive care units (CICUs) of four large hospitals affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected using a random sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic information form and the Lutzen Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, employing descriptive statistics such as means and standard deviations. The findings revealed that the average moral sensitivity score among the nurses was moderate (60.17±13.04). When analyzing the different dimensions of moral sensitivity, the highest score was observed in the dimension of "honesty and benevolence" (15.30 ± 4.48), while the lowest score was found in the dimension of "professional knowledge" (3.25 ± 1.88). The mean scores for the remaining dimensions were as follows: "respect for patient autonomy" (7.44 ± 2.13), "awareness of how to communicate with patients" (15.18 ± 3.41), "experiencing ethical problems and dilemmas" (7.74 ± 2.03), and "applying ethical concepts in ethical decision-making" (11.95 ± 3.35). The study revealed that nurses demonstrated a moderate level of moral sensitivity, with the lowest scores in the dimension of professional knowledge. This suggests that nurses may not be sufficiently involving patients in their treatment and care decisions. Given these findings, it is critical for healthcare policymakers and nursing managers to implement continuous assessment and feedback systems to accurately evaluate nurses' moral sensitivity and professional knowledge. By identifying the weaknesses and educational needs of nurses, targeted training programs can be developed, ultimately enhancing nurses' moral sensitivity and improving the quality of care.

Keywords: Ethics, Nurses, Critical care

Full-Text [PDF 396 kb] (21 Downloads)

Type of Study: Ethics Congress | Subject: Health Ethics Congress (11th) - Poster Presentation
Received: 2026/02/24 | Accepted: 2024/12/22 | Published: 2024/12/22