" Implications of Nurse's Moral Distress Experience in Clinical Practice and their Health Status in Obstetrics and Critical Care Settings "

Research Abstract

Background: Professional stress and moral distress are common issues that may have adverse effects on patients and nurses, as well as the healthcare system as a whole. There is a high level of human contact within the nursing profession. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the implications of nurses' moral distress experience in clinical practice and their health status in maternal and medical-surgical critical care settings. Methods: This is a cross-section descriptive study, including nurses selected from obstetrics and medical-surgical critical care units at all governmental hospital in Beni-Suef City, Egypt. Data was collected through using four tools: a self-administered questionnaire, Moral Distress Experience Scale, health status assessment sheet, and work stress assessment sheet. Results: 24.3% of nurses perceived that there is no need for them in the work, no feedback for their work competency and difficulty of unit rules and policies are always the sources of work stress while 32.4% of them often seen that no chance to take action/decision making are often work stress for them. 77.2% of nurses usually complaint of insomnia, while 66.6% & 66.5% often complain of a headache and indigestion, respectively, 61.2% often complaint of arthralgia and tachycardia as nurse perceived. Conclusion: A negative correlation was found between the nurse's attitude of moral distress, the source of work stress and their health status, there are significant relations were found between nurses' work stress and their age, and between nurses' health status and their years of experience. Recommendations: Further studies should be undertaken on the effect of preventive measures for moral distress on clinical nursing practice and nurses' health status in non-critical areas and large sample size to generalize the result of study to improve their preventive attitude regarding moral distress, work stressors in many geographical areas to investigate the confounding factors that hinder nurse's optimal health.

Research Keywords

Implications, Moral Distress, Nurses, Critical Care Settings.