Evaluating the moral courage of nurses and its relationship with their caring behaviors

Nurses require moral courage to make ethically sound decisions in diverse clinical situations and to engage in care behaviors aligned with professional ethical standards. Moral courage is essential for delivering high-quality care and maintaining professional integrity. This study aimed to examine the relationship between moral courage and care behaviors among nurses in 2023. In this cross-sectional study, 146 nurses working in educational hospitals in Hamadan were selected using a stratified sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic checklist, the Sekerka et al. Moral Courage Questionnaire, and the Caring Dimensions Inventory (CDI-25). Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 24, employing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, t-tests, and ANOVA. The majority of participants were female (67.1%) and held a bachelor’s degree (89%). The mean ± SD scores for moral courage and care behaviors were 70.32 ± 9.93 and 101.16 ± 13.25, respectively. A significant positive correlation was observed between moral courage and nurses’ care behaviors (r = 0.26, P < 0.001). Given the direct positive association between moral courage and care behaviors, it is recommended that nursing managers and administrators actively promote moral courage among nurses by recognizing, supporting, and encouraging ethically courageous behaviors, thereby fostering improved care quality.