The relationship between moral intelligence and moral courage in nurses: A cross-sectional study

Moral intelligence is a crucial component of ethical decision-making, particularly in nursing. Strengthening moral intelligence offers individuals valuable opportunities for sound thinking and ethical behavior, fostering strong and consistent character traits. Furthermore, when nurses face situations where they fear making the right decision, they require moral courage to overcome this fear and act ethically. A cross-sectional study was used in the current study. The study population included 179 nurses employed in Sabzevar hospitals in 2023. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used for data analysis. In this study, 179 nurses participated, with a mean age of 29.27 (standard deviation [SD]=6.14) years, ranging from 19 to 52 years. The majority of the participants were women (62.6%). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that employment type is significantly associated with moral courage and intelligence. The mean differences between employment groups (permanent/official vs. temporary plan, permanent/official vs. contractual, and permanent/official vs. corporate) were statistically significant. The findings showed a notable positive link between nurses' moral intelligence and moral courage (r=0.76). Employment type also greatly impacted moral intelligence and moral courage levels (P=0.001). Marital status also significantly influenced moral intelligence scores (P=0.045). A multiple logistic regression analysis examined the factors affecting moral intelligence. The statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between moral courage and moral intelligence. These results indicate a significant link between moral intelligence and moral courage among nurses. Moreover, occupation type could affect moral intelligence and moral courage; marital status seems linked to moral intelligence.