Aliasghar Karami Rajabpoor - MSc student of Nursing, Department of Emergency and Critical Care Nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Seyede Fatemeh Gheiasi - PhD Candidate in Nursing, Department of Operating Room and Anesthesiology, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Kourosh Amini - Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatric Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran
Soheila Rabie Siahkali - Instructor of Medical Surgical Nursing, Department of Operating Room and Anesthesiology, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran

Background: Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) at the forefront of the health system face Covid-۱۹ cases. In such situation, they may have doubts about their abilities or priorities and may not make the right decisions. They need moral courage to survive this global crisis's stress and strengthen their decision-making power.Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the moral courage and its related factors in EMTs during the Covid-۱۹ pandemic.Method: This cross-sectional study was performed in ۲۰۲۱ on ۱۹۴ EMTs of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences. Sampling was done by the cluster random method. A demographic information questionnaire and standard moral courage questionnaire were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and Logistic regression. P<۰.۰۵ was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean total score of moral courage was high in ۸۸.۱% of EMTs (۴۳۳.۳۱± ۴۹.۷۰ out of ۵۱۰). The mean score of moral courage in the dimensions of moral self-actualization was ۲۲۸.۹۸±۳۲.۴۶, risk-taking was ۱۵۹.۰۴±۱۵.۶۸, and the ability to defend the right was ۴۵.۲۸±۷.۷۰. There was statistically significant relationship between the mean score of total moral courage and marital status, age, work experience, and number of working hours (p <۰.۰۵).Implications for Practice: The findings of this study showed that EMTs had a high level of moral courage, so it is possible to maintain this important ethical virtue through reinforcements, planning, effective training, and organizational support, and consequently increase the quality of pre-hospital care.

COVID-۱۹, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Medical Technicians, Moral Courage