Operating Room Nurses’ Lived Experiences of Ethical Codes: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

BackgroundOperating room nurses, who are important members of health teams and who serve in an environment full of ethical and work challenges, often face situations that require them to make decisions based on ethical principles. Therefore, compiling ethical codes appropriate to the culture and religion of the community is a good way to improve the quality of nursing services expected by stakeholders.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to examine Operating room nurses’ lived experiences of ethical codes. Research design and methodA hermeneutic phenomenological study was performed. Participants were 10 operating room nurses who were selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed based on Van Manen methodology.ResultsData analysis revealed 3 main themes and 12 sub-themes that showed the experience of operating room nurses from ethical codes. The main themes were: Adherence to professional commitments, preserving patient dignity and respect for colleagues.ConclusionThe results of this study showed the ethical experiences of operating room nurses. These findings determine the ethical codes in the operating room. It is suggested that using these codes, a guide, and a model be developed to improve the ethical and professional performance of operating room nurses.