The Relationship between Clinical Dishonesty and Perceived Clinical Stress among Nursing Students in Southeast of Iran

Abstract Background Clinical dishonesty is a complex problem that threatens the health and safety of patients. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between clinical dishonesty and perceived clinical stress in nursing students. Method This cross sectional correlational study was performed on 395 nursing students from 4 nursing colleges. Data were collected using a demographic information questionnaire, Nursing Student's Perception of Clinical Stressors, and a 12-item researcher-made questionnaire to evaluate the frequency of clinical dishonesty in the past semester, the frequency of witnessing dishonest behavior among peers, and the perceived severity of behavior as unethical behavior. Results In this study, 89.1% of the students had at least one dishonest clinical behavior in the last semester. Frequency of clinical dishonesty was correlated with gender, interest in the field of study, academic year, frequency of observing dishonesty among peers, perceived severity of behaviors as unethical behavior, and perceived stress of students in the clinical setting. Conclusion The frequency of clinical dishonesty among nursing students is high and needs attention. Also, considering the positive relationship between dishonesty and perceived clinical stress, it is essential to teach effective strategies to nursing students to empower them to cope with clinical stress.