Evaluation of Professional Ethics and Its Facilitating Factors in Ardabil and Khalkhal Nurses in 2020

Adherence to ethical standards is an effective factor in improving the performance of nurses in providing quality care. Nursing ethics and ethical care is one of the main goals of the health care system in the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of professional ethics and factors related to facilitate its observance in nurses working in Ardabil and Khalkhal teaching hospitals.

The present study is a descriptive-correlation study that was conducted in 2020 on 435 nurses working in Ardabil and Khalkhal universities of medical sciences. Samples were selected by random sampling method and completed the questionnaires for ethical standards and the factors that facilitate the observance of ethical standards. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software by pair T test.

The findings of the study showed that 59.8% of nurses had good moral performance. Also, 42.41% of nurses in dimension of responsibility, 69% in dimension of improving the quality of care and 55.9% in dimension of patient respect had good performances. Adequate scientific knowledge and awareness about nursing care with 62.8% was the most important factor facilitating ethics in nurses. The results of paired t-test showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between compliance with ethical criteria and its facilitators (P <0.05).

The findings of the present study showed that the moral performance of nurses was good and adequate scientific knowledge and awareness about nursing care was the most important factor facilitating the observance of ethical principles in nurses. Survey the current situation and identifying the causes and factors affecting the observance of professional ethics can be considered by nursing managers in eliminating the ethical and professional shortcomings of nursing.