Aim: This study examines the association between racial climate and racial microaggressions on nurses’ moral distress and intent to leave the organization. Background: Approximately one-fifth of registered nurses in the United States plan to leave the workforce by 2027, with work-related stress identified as one leading reason. Limited research has explored racial climate and racial microaggressions impact on nurses’ moral distress and intent to leave. Design: A multisite cross-sectional observational study measured racial climate, racial microaggressions, moral distress, and intent to leave using validated instruments. Methods: Sample included 525 nurses employed at a large Mid-Atlantic academic health system who completed online surveys. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects modeling. Results: Black nurses reported 17.07-point higher Racial Climate Scale scores than White nurses (95% CI: 12.86, 21.29; p < .001) and 12.15 points higher than those who identified as other races (95% CI: 7.15, 17.15; p < .001). More Black nurses (78.0%) and those of multiple races (41.3%) reported racial microaggressions than White nurses (17.6%) (p < .001). Racial Climate Scale scores correlated with increases in Moral Distress Scale scores (95% CI: 0.01, 0.04; p = .006). Experiencing racial microaggressions was associated with higher Moral Distress Scale scores (95% CI: 0.33, 1.07; p < .001) and intent to leave. Intent to leave scores were moderated by Racial Climate Scale scores across nurses’ races when accounting for Moral Distress Scale scores and experiencing microaggression. Conclusions: Racial climate and microaggressions significantly impact moral distress and intent to leave, especially among non-White nurses.
Mastro et al. (Fri,) studied this question.