Abstract

This research was conducted to determine the correlation between the moral distress levels of nurses working in the intensive care unit and their professional values. Material and Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with nurses working in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Ankara between 12.06.2017 and 23.06.2017. Sample selection was not made in the study, and it was aimed to reach the entire universe. The population of the study consisted of 130 nurses, and the sample consisted of 71 nurses. Written permission was obtained from the Health Sciences University Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital Ethics Committee and from the nurses who agreed to participate in the study. Data was obtained with Introductory Characteristics Form, Moral Distress Scale and Scale of Professional Values of Nurses and analysed with number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, median, and minimum-maximum, Mann Whitney U test, Spearman correlation analysis. Findings: There was no significant relation between nurses' moral distress and professional values (p>0.05). It was determined that the total score average of the moral distress scale of the nurses participating in the research was 70.59+-42.12 (min. 2- max. 219), and the total score average of the professional nursing values scale was 127.21+-19.93 (min. 82 – max. 155). It was found that the mean score of the moral distress scale of the nurses who chose the profession voluntarily was lower than those who did not choose the profession voluntarily. While the mean scores of both moral distress and professional values scales of the nurses who stated that they did not think of resigning/leaving the job due to experiencing moral distress were found to be low, the scores of those who thought to resign from both scales were found to be high. Results: The lack of a direct relationship between nurses' moral distress levels and professional nursing values is thought to be due to the number of samples and it is recommended to study with more samples. The professional values of the nurses participating in the research are at a high level and their moral distress is at a moderate level. It is recommended that future studies focus on interventions that will reduce the moral distress levels of nurses and increase their professional values. It is thought that the studies to be carried out will ensure that experienced nurses with high professional values are kept in the profession.