explaining courage in ethical decision-making by nursing managers: a qualitative content analysis

Introduction: ethical decision-making by nursing managers is influenced by various essential factors, such as courage, without which it is impossible to act on them. objective: this study aimed to explore the experiences of nursing managers about courage in ethical decision-making. materials and methods: the current study was conducted in iran by a qualitative content analysis approach in 2018. nineteen nurse managers were selected purposefully from hospitals in tehran and shahrekord cities. data were collected using semi-structured, indepth, face-to-face interviews, and after transcription, they were analyzed according to the graneheim and lundman method. results: based on data analysis, we extracted 2 categories (obligation, decisiveness) and 8 subcategories (clearness in expressing decisions, the ability of the manager to make decisions in critical and complex situations, authority/decision-making as a religious responsibility, follow the decision process, being responsible, making compensatory decisions, making preventive decisions). conclusion: the findings showed that managers who are committed to ethical decision-making have enough assertiveness to make the decisions. educating, empowering, and sensitizing managers and enhancing their insight into ethical issues through problem-solving and roleplaying techniques can play an essential role in promoting their commitment and responsibility.