بررسی ارتباط بین جهت‌گیری مذهبی و حساسیت اخلاقی در تصمیم‌گیری پرستاران

Decision making is an important part of nurses’ responsibilities in providing clinical interventions for patients. Religion is among the moral factors that affect the performance and clinical decision making of nurses. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between religious orientation and moral sensitivity in the decision making process among nurses.This study was a cross-sectional, analytical research that was carried out on 170 nurses working in Gonabad hospitals. Subjects were selected by census, and data were collected using the Allport Religious Orientation Scale and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 16.In the present study, internal religious orientation mean was 36.39 ± 4.65, external religious orientation mean was 33.77 ± 6.89 and moral sensitivity mean was 159.21 ± 14.1, and therefore internal religious orientation was higher among the nursing staff. Moreover, Pearson's correlation test showed that there was a significant, positive relationship between internal religious orientation and moral sensitivity (P = 0.01, r = 0.17). Nevertheless, no significant relationship was found between external religious orientation and moral sensitivity (P = 0.86, r = - 0.01).Based on the findings of this study, it seems that authorities need to develop and implement strategies to educate nurses on morality and spirituality, since members of this profession play an important part in the health and well-being of the community.