Mostafa Soleimani - Disaster and Emergency Medical Management Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Postgraduate, Tabriz, Iran
Kavoos Shahsavarinia - Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor, Tabriz, Iran
Abbas Dadashzadeh - Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Assistant Professor, Tabriz, Iran
Fereshteh Hadi - Nutrition Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Postgraduate, Tabriz, Iran
jafar khani - Disaster and Emergency Medical Management Center, Tabriz University of Medical Science, Postgraduate, Tabriz, Iran

Background: Technicians working in the emergency medical services (EMS) ward face more cases of moral distress due to the nature of their work. The consequences of moral distress include decreased self-confidence, job burnout, job dissatisfaction, and depression. One of the solutions to deal effectively with stressors is coping. The ability to adjust can be affected by much exposure to stressors. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between moral distress and coping in technicians working in the EMS ward. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in ۲۰۲۱ on ۴۹۴ technicians working in EMS bases in East Azerbaijan province. Sampling was performed by stratified random method. Data collection tools were the demographic characteristics questionnaire, the Corely moral distress scale (MDS), and the Littman's Cope inventory. In addition, data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: The results of the study showed that the mean (SD) score of the frequency of moral distress was ۴۷.۲۱ (۱۷.۲۴), the severity of moral distress was ۴۷.۴۴ (۱۹.۶۳), and coping was ۳۸.۸۱ (۴.۸۲). The severity of moral distress (r= -۰.۱۴ and p=۰.۰۰۴) and the frequency of moral distress (r=-۰.۱۹ and p=۰.۰۰۱) were observed to have inverse and significant statistical relationships to coping in EMS technicians. Conclusion: Considering that there is a significant inverse relationship between moral distress and coping of EMS technicians, it seems that by providing solutions to control the moral distress of these staff, it is possible to improve their adjustment and, consequently, their job capabilities.

moral distress, coping, emergency medical services technician