Relationship Between Moral Sensitivity And The Quality Of Nursing Care For The Elderly With Covid-19

Background: The quality of care has a significant impact on the condition of elderly patients. Many factors affect the quality of care, including ethical considerations. Ethical considerations, such as moral sensitivity, change in times of crisis. The present study was conducted to assess the relationship between moral sensitivity and quality of nursing care for the elderly with Covid-19. Methods: : This was a cross-sectional descriptive correlational study. The participants included 445 nurses that were selected by quota sampling method from hospitals admitting COVID-19 patients. The data were collected using the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (MSQ) and Quality Patient Care Scale (QUALPAC) as self-report. We used the SPSS software v.16 for statistical analysis. Results: : The total score of moral sensitivity and quality of care was 52.29 ± 16.44 and 2.83 ± 0.23, respectively. Modifying autonomy, interpersonal orientation, and experiencing moral conflict predicted β= 0.10 of the psychosocial aspect of quality of care. Structural moral meaning and expressing benevolence predicted the changes in the physical dimension of quality of care (β= 0.02). Modifying autonomy explained the changes in the communicational dimension (β= 0.003). Conclusion: The quality of care had a significant inverse correlation with moral sensitivity. Multiple regression analysis showed that modifying autonomy, interpersonal orientation, and experiencing moral conflict could predict the psychosocial dimensions. Structuring moral meaning could predict the physical dimension.