Aim
To assess nurses' perception of the ethical climate in a university hospital in the South of Brazil.
Background
Ethical climate can be defined as the healthcare professionals' perceptions of the ethical treatment of healthcare issues and human interactions in their work environment. A number of studies on ethical climate are being carried out in several countries. In Brazil, however, research on the matter is still incipient, especially among hospital nurses.
Conclusion
In general, the ethical climate was perceived as positive, with small variations between the factors of the instrument. Ethical climate could be enhanced through strategies that encourage interpersonal relationships. This study shows the importance of a positive ethical climate based on good relationships between healthcare professionals for ensuring better care.
Methods
Cross-sectional study carried out with 269 nurses from a university hospital, using a sociodemographic and occupational profiling survey and the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey - Brazilian version. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics.
Results
The nurses' perception of the ethical climate was positive (3.68 ± 0.55). Among the five assessment factors, 'peers' had the highest score (4.07 ± 0.57), whereas 'physicians' had the lowest score (3.26 ± 0.70) for ethical climate.