‘Moral distress’ – time to abandon a flawed nursing construct?
- 5 December 2013
- journal article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Nursing Ethics
- Vol. 22 (1), 5-14
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733013505312
Abstract
Moral distress has been characterised in the nursing literature as a major problem affecting nurses in all healthcare systems. It has been portrayed as threatening the integrity of nurses and ultimately the quality of patient care. However, nursing discourse on moral distress is not without controversy. The notion itself is conceptually flawed and suffers from both theoretical and practical difficulties. Nursing research investigating moral distress is also problematic on account of being methodologically weak and disparate. Moreover, the ultimate purpose and significance of the research is unclear. In light of these considerations, it is contended that the notion of moral distress ought to be abandoned and that concerted attention be given to advancing inquiries that are more conducive to improving the quality and safety of moral decision-making, moral conduct and moral outcomes in nursing and healthcare domains.Keywords
This publication has 25 references indexed in Scilit:
- Framing the Issues: Moral Distress in Health CareHEC Forum, 2012
- Nurses’ responses to ethical dilemmas in nursing practice: meta‐analysisJournal of Advanced Nursing, 2008
- Nurses' Moral Sensitivity and Hospital Ethical Climate: a Literature ReviewNursing Ethics, 2008
- Moral Distress ReconsideredNursing Ethics, 2008
- A neurocognitive model of the ethical decision-making process: Implications for study and practice.Journal of Applied Psychology, 2006
- Moral Distress: The State of the ScienceResearch and Theory for Nursing Practice, 2004
- Championing patient safety: going globalHeart, 2002
- Nurses' skills in managing ethically difficult care situations: interpretation of nurses' narrativesJournal of Advanced Nursing, 1995
- Ethical Decision Making by Individuals in Organizations: An Issue-Contingent ModelAcademy of Management Review, 1991
- Personal moral philosophies and moral choiceJournal of Research in Personality, 1990