The Relation between Moral Distress and Assertiveness among Nursing Personnel

Moral distress has been explained as threatening the integrity of nurses and the quality of patient care. In addition, assertiveness skill helps to nurses for better their practice and nurses with higher assertiveness had a more effective chance for improving quality of nursing care. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between assertiveness and moral distress among nursing personnel.
In this descriptive and correlation study, the samples consisted of 200 nursing staff that were working in 2 governmental hospitals in Malayer, 2016. Samples were selected through convenience sampling. Data were gathered by personal data form, assertive scale and moral distress scale (MDS). Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics.
Ethical Considerations: Written consent was obtained from the participants. They were assured about the confidentiality of information. In addition, they were told that they leave the study whenever they want.
Findings: Results showed that assertiveness level among nursing staff were 91.5% (moderate), 8.5% (high) and 0% (low). In this study 32% of nurses suffered from severe moral distress, 61% of them suffered from moderate moral distress and 7% of nursing staff have mild moral distress. Findings indicated that a significant relationship between moral distress and assertiveness among nursing personnel (r=.280, p=.0001).
Research findings support to the hypothesis that exist a relation between assertiveness and moral distress. Since moral distress has a significant relationship with assertiveness, assertion training is comments to reduce of moral distress among nursing personnel.