title: The relationship between moral distress, professional stress, and intent to stay in the nursing profession.
abstract: Moral distress and professional stress are common problems that can have adverse effects on nurses, patients, and the healthcare system as a whole. Thus, this cross-sectional study aims to examine the relationship between moral distress, professional stress, and intent to stay in the nursing profession. Two hundred and twenty full-time nurses employed at teaching hospitals in the eastern regions of Iran were studied. A 52-item questionnaire based on Corley's Moral Distress Scale, Wolfgang's Health Professions Stress Inventory and Nedd Questionnaire on Intent to Stay in the Profession was used in the study. Additionally, demographic details of the study population were collected. No significant correlation was observed between the intensity and frequency of moral distress, professional stress, and intent to stay in the profession among nurses (P > 0.05). There was a significant correlation between moral distress, professional stress, and age, number of years in service and work setting (P < 0.05). Given the important effect of moral distress and professional stress on nurses, in addition to the educational programs for familiarization of nurses with these concepts, it is recommended that strategies be formulated by the healthcare system to increase nurses' ability to combat their adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Medical Ethics and Law Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Borhani
authors.affiliation: Professor, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbaszadeh
authors.affiliation: Professor, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Nouzar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakhaee
authors.affiliation: Faculty member of Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roshanzadeh
keywords: intent to stay; moral distress; nursing ethics; nursing profession; professional stress