ABSTRACT
Objective:
to describe the profile of nurses and the occurrence and frequency of risk factors regarding moral distress.
Method:
a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study, with 268 nurses working in hospitals and primary health care units in the Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), between the months of March and July, 2016. Data collection was performed using the online Google Docs tool. A moral distress risk scale and a set of variables were used to characterize the participants and their context.
Results:
the sample mainly consisted of young women who worked between 36 and 40 hours a week, with an average monthly income between five and sevem wages and about 10 years of nursing experience. The risk of moral distress was considered moderate, with a considerable percentage of professionals showing an intention to abandon their current job.
Conclusion:
moral distress is a reality experienced by the nurses under study, and the identification of risk factors is one of the tools used to create coping strategies.
DESCRIPTORS:
Nursing; Ethics, nursing; Professional practice; Worker's health; Moral damage