Nurses' attitudes toward, perceptions of, and experiences with conscientious objection

Abstract

Background Conscientious objection is a person’s refusal to fulfill a legal duty due to their ethical values, religious beliefs, or ideological affiliations. In nursing, it refers to a nurse’s refusal to perform an action or participate in a particular situation based on their conscience. Conscientious objection has become a highly contested topic in recent years. Research objectives This study had four objectives: (1) eliciting information on how Turkish nurses perceive conscientious objection, (2) revealing whether their moral beliefs affect the care they provide, (3) determining their experiences with conscientious objection, and (4) identifying existing or potential issues of conscientious objection. Research design This qualitative study collected data through semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Participants The sample consisted of 21 nurses. Ethical considerations The study was approved by an ethics committee. Confidentiality and anonymity were guaranteed. Participation was voluntary. Findings The analysis revealed four themes: (1) universal values of nursing (professional values), (2) experiences with conscientious objection (refusing to provide care/not providing care), (3) possible effects of conscientious objection (positive and negative), and (4) scope of conscientious objection (grounded and groundless). Conclusion Participants did not want to provide care due to (1) patient characteristics or (2) their own religious and moral beliefs. Participants stated that conscientious objection should be limited in the case of moral dilemmas and accepted only if the healthcare team agreed on it. Further research is warranted to define conscientious objection and determine its possible effects, feasibility, and scope in Turkey.

Perceptions and experiences of female nurses when confronted with expressing a conscientious objection towards end-of-life care in Greece

“…Not surprisingly, religious beliefs are pointed out in the literature as factors affecting nurses’ conscience-based unwillingness to participate in care in not only Christian but also Muslim countries [ 21 , 60 – 62 ]. Brown et al state, ‘Nonparticipation was influenced by their (a) previous personal and professional experiences, (b) comfort with death, (c) conceptualization of duty, (d) preferred end-of-life care approaches, (e) faith or spirituality beliefs, (f) self-accountability, (g) consideration of emotional labor, and (h) future emotional impact’ [ 61 ].…”

“…More precisely, conscientious objection in nursing is nurses’ refusal to perform an action (e.g., provide care) or participate in an activity they consider to be morally or ethically wrong and contravene their core values and personal beliefs. Conscientious objection in nursing is a topic of much and ongoing discussion in recent years [ 20 , 21 ]. In fact, it is essential for professional ethics to facilitate nurses to act as moral agents in accordance with their core values, personal beliefs and conscience.…”