Nurses’ caring behaviour and its correlation with moral sensitivity

Abstract

Background Different and contradictory results have been reported for nurses’ caring behaviour and moral sensitivity. Aims The present study aimed to examine the correlation between nurses’ caring behaviour and moral sensitivity. Methods The research was a descriptive, correlational study. Data were collected using moral sensitivity (range: 0–100) and caring behaviour (range: 24–144) questionnaires. A total of 250 nurses who worked in the clinical wards of Yasuj teaching hospitals in 2018, were selected by systematic random sampling. The collected data were analysed using SPSS version 19 for descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation tests. Results Seventy-four percent of nurses had moderate moral sensitivity (50–74). Nurses’ moral sensitivity and caring behaviour mean scores were reported to be 59.5 ± 11.1 (range: 31–87) (Potential range 0--100) and 110.99 ± 17.99 (range: 69–94) (Potential range 22–144), respectively. The Pearson test showed a positive correlation between nurses’ caring behaviour and moral sensitivity at a 99% level ( p = 0.001). Conclusions Nurses’ moral sensitivity and caring behaviour were found to be moderate and good, respectively. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between moral sensitivity and caring behaviour in nurses, that is, nurses provided better caring behaviour as levels of moral sensitivity increased.