Confronting moral distress in Nursing: recognizing nurses as moral agents

Abstract

The concept of moral distress has brought forth a substantively different way of understanding some of the difficulties confronted by nurses in their practice. This concept highlights that nurses' distress can be an indication of nurses' conscientious moral engagement with their professional practice that has confronted practices or an environment that impedes them from acting according to their own ethical standards. Moral distress can be an indicator of problems in nurses' practice environments. This concept is described and related to moral agency in nursing practice. Selected research on moral distress is reviewed, followed by a discussion of recommendations for addressing this problem.

Psychic and moral exhaustion in primary care workers

“…From the analysis of studies, the main factors identified as responsible for the psychic and moral exhaustion were moral distress (7,13,(17)(18)(19) and burnout syndrome (2,5,7,(20)(21)(22) . The analyzed studies were performed mainly with nurses, and describe moral distress and Burnout as frequent phenomena in the reality of different health work contexts.…”

Psychological Distress Experienced by Nurses who Work with Patients in Death Process: A Clinical-Qualitative Study

“…I tonomously, precisely because of sociopolitical issues (Carnevale, 2013) or power relations (Foucault, 2014). It is important that this moral complexity of the nursing practice be recognized so that the infl uence on the psychic health of the professional and the consequences for the care itself can be perceived (Carnevale, 2013).…”

“…It is important that this moral complexity of the nursing practice be recognized so that the infl uence on the psychic health of the professional and the consequences for the care itself can be perceived (Carnevale, 2013).…”

“…However, at the time of the suffering, the concern of the nurses was not heard. To give voice to the nurses, a space for the expression of feelings regarding the moral agency (Carnevale, 2013;Rodney et al, 2012), which involves their work, makes them realize that they are not alone in the arena of suffering faced with the context of death.…”

Tensión moral, sistema de salud y formación de profesionales de la salud para Chile

“…Cabe esperar que estos elementos se encuentren más intactos y disponibles de ser percibidos en profesionales sanitarios en proceso de formación, que de manera incipiente 4 comienzan a exponerse a un entorno que puede oponerse al ejercicio de su ethos profesional 5 .…”