MORAL DISTRESS IN CRITICAL CARE NURSES: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND

Health care professionals find themselves participating in significant events in human existence such as birth, pain and death which is a privilige  but also poses challenges as this participation involves decisions that can be life changing and having an effect on everyone involved.

METHODOLOGY

A simple qualitative design was used with a research paradigm of constructivism.  Data collection included indepth interviews with five critical care nurses who were purposively sampled.The setting for the study was the critical care units at  King Abdul- Aziz Medical City- Jeddah. Data analysis included content analysis. Principles of academic rigour was followed.

FINDINGS

Two themes emerged from this study with various subthemes. Theme 1: Turning away from nursing obligations : hands are tied, burden of workload, no voice, not honoring oath; Theme 2: Bad practice: hieracrhy inpractice and feeling guilty.

CONCLUSIONS

Few studies dealt with moral distress in the current settingand there  there is a knowledge gap related to this phenomenon. This study highlights more research to be conducted in this context and possible interventions to reduce the physical and psychological effects on nurses.

KEY WORDS

Critical care nurses’ moral distress, moral distress, moral distress in critical nursing