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. 2022 Jan-Mar;37(1):28-34.
doi: 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000596.

Nursing Moral Distress and Intent to Leave Employment During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Katherine N Sheppard  1 , Barbara G Runk, Ralitsa S Maduro, Monica Fancher, Andrea N Mayo, Donna D Wilmoth, Merri K Morgan, Kathie S Zimbro
Affiliations

Nursing Moral Distress and Intent to Leave Employment During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Katherine N Sheppard et al. J Nurs Care Qual. 2022 Jan-Mar.

Abstract

Background: Complexity in nursing practice creates an intense and stressful environment that may lead to moral distress (MD) and registered nurses (RNs) seeking other employment.

Local problem: In 2020, the RN turnover rate was 8%, with postpandemic turnover projected to reach 13%.

Methods: The Measure of Moral Distress for Health Care Professionals (MMD-HP) was used to measure the frequency and level of RNs' MD.

Results: t tests showed significant differences for 16 of 27 MMD-HP items in RN intent to leave. RNs had 2.9 times the odds of intent to leave (P = .019) due to perceived issues with patient quality and safety and 9.1 times the odds of intent to leave (P < .001) due to perceived issues with the work environment. Results explained 40.3% of outcome variance.

Conclusions: MD related to work environment or patient quality and safety were significant factors in RN intent to leave their position.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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