Citation

Paidipati CP, Lozano AJ, West J, Huang L, Hanlon AL, Ulrich CM. Nurs. Outlook 2023; 71(3): e101966.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.outlook.2023.101966

PMID

37054498

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nursing students are at higher risk for depression, suicide, and other mental health concerns as compared to the general college student population. Moral distress and other ethical issues may be a significant source of psychological harm within nursing student experiences and warrants further attention.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand the mediating effect of depression on the relationship between moral distress and suicide risk among undergraduate nursing students.

METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis was derived from a larger sequential mixed methods study. The first phase was an online survey completed by a national sample of N = 679 nursing students in the United States.

FINDINGS: The relationship between moral distress and suicide risk was fully mediated by depression and statistically significant at the alpha = 0.05 level.

CONCLUSION: All three psychological variables (depression, moral distress, suicide risk) impact nursing students and require innovative solutions within nursing and educational programs.

Language: en

Keywords

Depression; Mental health; Suicide risk; Nursing students; Moral distress