Relation between Moral Distress and Quality of Work Life among Staff Nurses

Background: Moral distress is one of the most common issues in nursing profession that affect nurses’ quality in their work life. Aim: This study aimed to assess moral distress and its relation to quality of work life among staff nurses. Research design: A descriptive correlational research design used. Setting: This study was carried out at El-Sheikh Zayed Specialized Hospital and Ain Shams University Hospital. Subjects: 218 staff nurses were included in the study. Tools: two tools used to collect data namely "Moral Distress Scale " and "Quality of Work life Scale". Results: the study finding unfolded that half (50%) of the staff nurses had a high level of total moral distress and more than one third (38%) of them had moderate levels of moral distress and only (12%) had low levels of moral distress. Moreover, slightly more than one third of staff nurses (42.7%) had a high level of total quality of work life level, and more than half of them had low level (57.3%). Conclusion: There was a negative, statistically significant correlation between moral distress and quality of work life among staff nurses. Recommendations: Developing continuing education programs to promote positive morale among staff nurses and developing policies and practices with clearer guidelines to reinforce quality of staff nurses’ work life and further research is needed to assess moral distress and its relation to moral courage and "quality of work life" on longitudinal and large sample of staff nurses.