The role of operating room educational climate in the moral distress of operating room technology students: A cross-sectional study

Background & Objective: The learning environment plays a vital role in shaping a student's academic success and overall satisfaction. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of the educational climate in the Operating Room (OR) on the moral distress experienced by operating room technology students. Material & Methods: In 2022, we conducted a descriptive-analytical study on 58 undergraduate operating room technology students from North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences. We utilized purposeful sampling in the form of a census from qualified academic departments. To collect information, we used three questionnaires: one for demographic information, one for IMOTEC, and one for moral distress. We analyzed the data using independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson's correlation coefficient, as well as multiple linear regression analysis at a 95% confidence level using SPSS 26 software. Results: The mean score for the OR educational climate was 71.14 ± 12.01. The rate of moral distress was measured in severity and frequency dimensions, with scores of 1.87 ± 1.08 and 1.79 ± 0.94, respectively. We found a significant inverse relationship between the mean of the educational environment and the severity (p < 0.001) and frequency (p < 0.05) of moral distress. Conclusion: Given that the educational climate is one of the key factors affecting moral distress, it appears that enhancing the educational climate in the OR environment can play a significant role in reducing the moral distress experienced by students.