The effect of an empowerment program on the moral sensitivity and caring behaviors of emergency nurses in Iran. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bagherzadeh, Mahboubeh; Jafari, Hedayat; Charati, Jamshid Yazdani; Shafipour, Vida
• Is Part Of: Nurse education in practice. Volume 57(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: Moral sensitivity -- Caring behaviors -- Emergency department -- Nurses; Nursing -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Education, Nursing -- Periodicals; Nursing -- Study and teaching; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 610.73071
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103243
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1471-5953

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of an empowerment program on the moral sensitivity and caring behaviors of nurses in emergency departments in Iran. Background: Emergency department is often a high stress environment. Nurses who worked in the emergency departments are expected to work under pressure to many standards, guidelines and protocols related to patient care. It will expose emergency department nurses to psychological pressures and moral conflicts. A nurse's sensitivity to ethical issues is necessary to provide humane care; it is considered to be a professional competence for nurses. Methods: This study had a controlled quasi-experimental design. Data were collected before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention using a moral sensitivity questionnaire and a caring behavior questionnaire. A total of 131 emergency department nurses from 4 teaching hospitals were divided into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group received six 60-minute training sessions; the control group did not receive the training. Results: The mean moral sensitivity and caring behavior scores for both groups increased significantly immediately and 1 month after the intervention. However, the significance was higher in the intervention group than in the control group. A comparison of the mean moral sensitivity and caring behavior scores between the groups immediately and 1 month after the intervention did not show a statistically significant difference. Conclusions: Implementing a training program on ethical issues could thus have a significant impact on the clinical performance of nurses, which could be maintained through follow-up. Highlights: Nurses need to be able to make ethical decisions when faced with ethical problems. Many barriers affect the moral sensitivity of nurses in practice. Lack of moral sensitivity in nurses can negatively affect quality of care. The ethical empowerment program can enhance the moral sensitivity of nurses. The ethical empowerment program can improve the caring behaviors of nurses.