Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract BACKGROUND: Nurses in their workplace, for a variety of reasons, always face moral distress that
is an underlying issue in the nursing profession, which can lead to problems such as reduced quality
and quantity of care and sleep disorder. Besides, given the increased privatization of hospitals, this
study aimed to explore the association between nurses’ moral distress and sleep quality and its
comparison among nurses in private and public hospitals.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive‑analytical study involving 150 nurses working
in Ilam Province hospitals. Sampling conducted using a multistage random sampling method. Data
were collected through the questionnaire of sociodemographic characteristics, the Corley’s Moral
Distress Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Data were analyzed using SPSS software
version 22. Descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, ANOVA, independent t‑test, multiple linear
regression, and Pearson correlation coefficient at the significant level of P < 0.05 were calculated.
RESULTS: The analysis revealed that moral distress was positively associated with sleep quality.
Furthermore, the scores of nurses’ moral distress and sleep quality were different in private and
public hospitals, so that the level of moral distress in the public hospital and sleep quality in the
private hospital was higher and lower, respectively, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Moreover, sleep quality, and the type of employment was the most important predicting variables of
moral stress (B = 1.86) and sleep quality (B = 2.39), respectively.
CONCLUSION: According to the study results, a positive and significant association was found
between moral distress and nurses’ sleep quality. It is recommended that appropriate strategies
and training program be formulated by the health‑care system to increase nurses’ ability to combat
moral distress adverse effects.