Moral distress and its correlates among mental health nurses in Jordan

Adaptation and validation of moral distress thermometer in Chinese nurses

BACKGROUND

Moral distress seriously affects professional nurses, and a number of instruments have been developed to measure the level of moral distress. The moral distress thermometer (MDT) is one of the commonly used instruments that can rapidly measure real-time moral distress; however, it remains unclear whether it is still useful in the Chinese cultural context.

AIM

This study aimed to adapt and validate the MDT among Chinese registered nurses.

RESEARCH DESIGN

An online, cross-sectional, survey study of adapting and validating Chinese version of MDT.

PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT

A total of 182 registered nurses effectively finished this survey. The correlation between MDT score and the score of the moral distress scale-revised version (MDS-R) was used for evaluating convergent validity, and MDT scores of registered nurses who working in different departments and who made different actions to the final question of the MDS-R were compared by using one-way ANOVA to evaluate construct validity.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The Ethics Committee of Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital approved this study.

RESULTS

The Chinese version of MDT was described as relevant to measure moral distress, with a reported item-level content validity index (I-CVI) and scale-level CVI (S-CVI) of 1. The mean MDT score and mean MDS-R score were 2.54 and 38.66, respectively, and the correlation between these two scores was significantly moderate (r = 0.41). Nurses working different departments reported different levels of moral distress, and those working in intensive care unit reported the highest level of moral distress than those working in other departments (p = 0.04). The MDT scores between nurses who presented different actions to their position were also significantly different, and those who had ever left and those who had considered leaving but did not leave reported significantly higher moral distress.

CONCLUSION

The MDT is a reliable, valid, and easy-to-use instrument to rapidly measure the real-time moral distress of registered nurses in China.

Moral distress and moral sensitivity in clinical nurses

Health care providers are expected to have a certain moral sensitivity (MS) to make an ethical assessment. Moral distress (MD) is a common phenomenon in nursing. It can negatively affect nurses physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between MD and MS among nurses using a cross-sectional descriptive design. The study was conducted in two stages. The first stage was a methodological study that analyzed validity and reliability of the Measure of MD-Healthcare Professionals. The second stage was a descriptive- predictive analysis that investigated the relationship between MD and MS. The MD intensity and frequency scores of the participants were high and moderately high, respectively. There was no direct effect on the total score and frequency of MS and MD. However, a direct and significant negative effect of MS was seen on the intensity of MD. Based on the results of this study, MS should be considered as a measure in studies aimed at understanding MD among clinical nurses. Empowerment programs should be established to increase the awareness of health workers about ethical and moral situations and to support them to cope with the problems they experience in these areas.

Ethical issues experienced by nurses during COVID-19 pandemic: Systematic review

BACKGROUND

Frontline nurses who care for patients with COVID-19 work in stressful environments, and many inevitably struggle with unanticipated ethical issues. Little is known about the unique, ethically sensitive issues that nurses faced when caring for patients with COVID-19.

AIM

To better understand how frontline nurses who care for patients with COVID-19 experience ethical issues towards others and themselves.

METHODS

Systematic review of qualitative evidence carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses on ethical literature (PRISMA-Ethics). The electronic databases PubMed, Embase, Cinahl, Web of Science, Philosopher's Index, and Scopus were queried to identify candidate articles. Articles appearing from March 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022 were considered if they met the following inclusion criteria: (1) Published qualitative and mixed method studies and (2) ethical issues experienced by nurses caring for patients with COVID-19. We appraised the quality of included studies, and data analysis was guided by QUAGOL principles.

FINDINGS

Twenty-six studies meeting our inclusion criteria for how nurses experience ethical issues were characterised by two key themes: (1) the moral character of nurses as a willingness to respond to the vulnerability of human beings and (2) ethical issues nurses acted as barriers sometimes, impeding them from responding to requests of vulnerable human beings for dignified care.

CONCLUSION

Our review provides a deeper understanding of nurses' experiences of ethically sensitive issues, while also highlighting the critical need for adjustments to be made at organisational and societal levels. Ethical issues that emerged in situations where organisational and situational constraints impeded nurses' ethical responses to patients' appeals suggests that early practical support should be made available to resolve ethical issues recognised by nurses. Such support contributes to protecting and promoting not only the dignity of patients with COVID-19 but also of fellow humans in need during crisis.

Potential Sources of Moral Injury for Healthcare Workers in Forensic and Psychiatric Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-ethnography

The current research examines potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) faced by healthcare professionals working in forensic and psychiatric environments. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles reporting on sources of moral injury or similar concepts (e.g., moral distress) for healthcare workers in such settings. Thirty articles were included and analyzed using a meta-ethnographic approach. Synthesis yielded three third-order factors, each reflecting a moral dichotomy: (a) "between profession and system," (b) "between relations with patients and relations with others," and (c) "between principles and practices." Findings illustrated the hierarchical relationships between dichotomies, with discordance between values of the healthcare profession and features of the healthcare system providing the conditions for PMIEs to occur. The review advances conceptual understandings of PMIEs in forensic and psychiatric settings, illustrating the multilayered dimensions within which morally injurious events are experienced. Theoretical and practical implications are offered that may support the early detection and prevention of moral injury in healthcare professionals.

Moral Distress and Moral Injury in Military Healthcare Clinicians: A Scoping Review

Introduction

Healthcare clinicians are often at risk of psychological distress due to the nature of their occupation. Military healthcare providers are at risk for additional psychological suffering related to unique moral and ethical situations encountered in military service. This scoping review identifies key characteristics of moral distress and moral injury and how these concepts relate to the military healthcare clinician who is both a care provider and service member.

Methods

A scoping review of moral distress and moral injury literature as relates to the military healthcare clinician was conducted on the basis of the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review framework. Databases searched included CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), PsycInfo, 2 U.S. Defense Department sources, conference papers index, and dissertation abstracts. Reference lists of all identified reports and articles were searched for additional studies.

Results

A total of 573 articles, published between the years 2009 and 2021, were retrieved to include a portion of the COVID-19 pandemic period. One hundred articles met the inclusion criteria for the final full-text review and analysis.

Discussion

This scoping review identified moral distress and moral injury literature to examine similarities, differences, and overlaps in the defining characteristics of the concepts and the associated implications for patients, healthcare clinicians, and organizations. This review included the unfolding influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on moral experiences in health care and the blurring of those lines between civilian and military healthcare clinicians. Future directions of moral injury and moral distress research, practice, and care are discussed.

Moral distress among acute mental health nurses: A systematic review

Moral distress has been identified as an occupational hazard for clinicians caring for vulnerable populations. The aim of this systematic review was (i) to summarize the literature reporting on prevalence of, and factors related to, moral distress among nurses within acute mental health settings, and (ii) to examine the efficacy of interventions designed to address moral distress among nurses within this clinical setting. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in October 2022 utilizing Nursing & Allied Health, Embase, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and PubMed databases to identify eligible studies published in English from January 2000 to October 2022. Ten studies met inclusion criteria. Four quantitative studies assessed moral distress among nurses in acute mental health settings and examined relationships between moral distress and other psychological and work-related variables. Six qualitative studies explored the phenomenon of moral distress as experienced by nurses working in acute mental health settings. The quantitative studies assessed moral distress using the Moral Distress Scale for Psychiatric Nurses (MDS-P) or the Work-Related Moral Stress Questionnaire. These studies identified relationships between moral distress and emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, cynicism, poorer job satisfaction, less sense of coherence, poorer moral climate, and less experience of moral support. Qualitative studies revealed factors associated with moral distress, including lack of action, poor conduct by colleagues, time pressures, professional, policy and legal implications, aggression, and patient safety. No interventions targeting moral distress among nurses in acute mental health settings were identified. Overall, this review identified that moral distress is prevalent among nurses working in acute mental health settings and is associated with poorer outcomes for nurses, patients, and organizations. Research is urgently needed to develop and test evidence-based interventions to address moral distress among mental health nurses and to evaluate individual and system-level intervention effects on nurses, clinical care, and patient outcomes.

Examining the effect of moral resilience on moral distress

AIMS

The study aims to test the Turkish validity and reliability of the Rushton Moral Resilience Scale (RMRS) and examine the effect of moral resilience on moral distress.

BACKGROUND

Moral distress is a phenomenon that negatively affects health workers, health institutions, and the person receiving care. In order to eliminate or minimize the negative effects of moral distress, it is necessary to increase the moral resilience of nurses. Moral resilience involves developing systems that support a culture of ethical practice in healthcare and aim to increase an individual's capacity to cope with moral challenges.

METHODS

A methodological and descriptive-predictive study design was adopted. Sociodemographic Information Form, Measure of Moral Distress - Healthcare Professionals (MMD-HP), and Rushton Moral Resilience Scale were used to collect data from the nurses. A total of 255 clinical nurses were recruited.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Hacettepe University's non-interventional ethics committee approved the study's protocol and informed consent was obtained from the participants.

RESULTS

The original four-factor structure of the scale was tested with confirmatory factor analysis, and the index values were evaluated and found at an acceptable level. The Cronbach Alpha coefficient of the scale was found to be 0.826. Moral resilience predicted moral distress total, intensity, and frequency levels. A moderate and weak relationship was found in the negative between all sub-dimensions of moral distress and moral resilience.

CONCLUSIONS

The Rushton Moral Resilience Scale Turkish version showed good psychometric properties. Moral resilience has a reducing effect on moral distress. Young nurses who have less experience are at risk because they have lower moral resilience levels, while nurses working in intensive care units are at risk because of their high moral distress levels. A healthy workplace can be created by developing specific approaches to improve moral resilience in reducing the impact of moral distress in the healthcare environment.

Psychiatric nurses' experience of moral distress: Its relationship with empowerment and coping

BACKGROUND

Research has shown that moral distress negatively impacts nurses, patients, and organizations; however, several scholars have argued that it can be an opportunity for positive outcomes. Thus, factors that may mitigate moral distress and catalyze positive change need to be explored.

RESEARCH AIM

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among structural and psychological empowerment, psychiatric staff nurses' experience of moral distress, and strategies for coping with moral distress.

RESEARCH DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional correlational study.

PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT

A total of 180 registered nurses working in psychiatric hospitals in Japan participated. This study examined relationships among key variables using four questionnaires to assess structural and psychological empowerment, moral distress for psychiatric nurses, and coping strategies. Statistical analyses of correlations and multiple regressions were conducted.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The study was approved by the institutional review board at the author's affiliated university.

FINDINGS

Psychiatric nurses perceived moderate levels of structural and psychological empowerment, and their experiences of moral distress were related to low staffing. Structural empowerment was negatively related to the frequency of moral distress but not the intensity. Contrary to expectations, psychological empowerment was not found to mitigate nurses' moral distress. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that the significant predictors of moral distress were the leaving issues unresolved coping style, the problem-solving coping style, and a lack of formal power, which explained 35% and 22% of the variance in the frequency and intensity of moral distress, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In psychiatric hospitals in Japan, nurses experience moral distress that compromises the quality of care they provide. Therefore, formal support for nurses in voicing and investigating their moral concerns is required to bestow formal power by establishing a ward culture that includes shared governance.

Intensity and frequency of moral distress in mental health nurses in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To assess the intensity and frequency of moral distress in mental health nurses in Brazil.

METHOD

Cross-sectional study with 173 nurses from the Psychosocial Care Network in Brazil. The Brazilian Scale of Moral Distress in Nurses, adapted for the context of mental health, was used. For data processing, descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was used.

RESULTS

Mostly moderate levels of intensity and frequency of moral distress (medians between 2.25 - 3.73 and 2.00 - 3.22, respectively) were observed, with emphasis on the factors working conditions and social conflicts.

CONCLUSION

The level of moral distress evidenced in mental health nurses in Brazil reflects the dimension and amplitude of the phenomenon in different points of the Psychosocial Care Network. The relevance of discussions on coping strategies for moral distress is highlighted, articulating elements such as sensitivity, resilience, and moral courage, so that ethical deliberation is applied in care and management settings.

Turkish Adaptation of the Moral Distress Scale-Revised for Pediatric Nurses: A Validity and Reliability Study

Background and Purpose: Recent studies have demonstrated the adverse effects that moral distress experienced by nurses has on nurses, patients, and the healthcare system. This study aims to analyze the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R, pediatric). Methods: This study was conducted with 210 pediatric nurses. Results: Explanatory factor analysis was conducted, and a five-factor structure emerged. The Cronbach's α value of the scale was found to be 0.865, and the correlation-based item analysis showed that the values were within the acceptable range, and the discrimination of the items was adequate. Conclusions: Analyses conducted revealed that the Turkish version of the MDS-R (pediatric), consisting of 21 items and five subdimensions, is a valid and reliable measurement tool for the Turkish culture and language.

Moral injury and associated context, contributors and consequences within mental healthcare professionals: a scoping review

OBJECTIVES

We sought to examine the contributory factors as well as consequences of moral injury amongst healthcare workers within mental healthcare settings.

METHODS

Several databases were searched for relevant studies from database inception until May 2023. Keywords and concepts included moral injury and distress in mental healthcare and psychiatry. We identified 961 studies, of which 48 were assessed for eligibility. Eventually, 35 studies were included in the review. Papers were selected for inclusion if 1) they included mental healthcare professionals (MHP) regardless of practice setting, 2) moral injury as experienced by MHP was one of their main variables of interest, 3) were written in English. Year of publication, location of study, participant characteristics, study design, settings in which injury occur (context), factors contributing to moral injury (contributors), and its effects on MHP (consequences) were extracted from the studies.

RESULTS

The majority of studies were conducted in the West (n = 26, 74.3%). Contributors to moral injury were found at the individual (e.g. poor competence), practice setting (e.g. lack of resources), and organizational levels (e.g. inconsistent policies). Moral injury had negative repercussions for the individual (e.g. psychological and physical symptoms), healthcare teams (e.g. lack of trust and empathy), and healthcare system (e.g. staff attrition).

CONCLUSIONS

Seen through the moral habitability framework, interventions must include an acknowledgment of the influence of various factors on the ability of MHP to enact their moral agency, and seek to establish safe moral communities within a supportive moral climate.

Registered Nurses' and nursing students' perspectives on moral distress and its effects: A mixed-methods systematic review and thematic synthesis

AIM

To examine Registered Nurses (RNs') and nursing students' perspectives on factors contributing to moral distress and the effects on their health, well-being and professional and career intentions.

DESIGN

Joanna Briggs Institute mixed-methods systematic review and thematic synthesis. Registered in Prospero (Redacted).

METHODS

Five databases were searched on 5 May 2021 for studies published in English since January 2010. Methodological quality assessment was conducted in parallel with data extraction.

RESULTS

Searches yielded 2343 hits. Seventy-seven articles were included. Most were correlational design and used convenience sampling. Studies were mainly from North America and Asia and situated in intensive and critical care settings. There were common, consistent sources of moral distress across continents, specialities and settings. Factors related to perceived inability or failure to enact moral agency and responsibility in moral events at individual, team and structural levels generated distress. Moral distress had a negative effect on RNs health and psychological well-being.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution to this systematic review.

Moral Distress, Organizational Climate, and the Risk of Burnout Among Physician Assistants in Oncology

PURPOSE

Moral distress (MD) is the result of barriers or constraints that prevent providers from carrying out what they believe to be ethically appropriate care. This study was initiated to explore associations between MD, burnout, and the organizational climate (OC) for oncology physician assistants (PAs).

METHODS

A national survey of oncology PAs was conducted to explore the associations between MD, OC, and burnout. The Nurse Practitioner-Primary Care OC Questionnaire was revised for oncology PAs to assess OC for PA practice. MD and burnout were assessed using the Measure of MD-Healthcare Professionals (MMD-HP) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-six oncology PAs are included in the analysis. PAs were mostly female (90%), White/Caucasian (84%), married/partnered (78%), and in medical oncology (73%), with mean age 41.0 years. The mean MMD-HP score for oncology PAs was 71.5 and there was no difference in MD scores on the basis of oncology subspecialty, practice setting, practice type, or hours worked per week. PAs currently considering leaving their position because of MD had significantly higher mean scores on the MMD-HP compared with those not considering leaving their position (108.2 v 64.8; P = .001). PAs with burnout also had significantly higher mean scores for MD compared with PAs without burnout (97.6 v 54.3; P < .001). A negative relationship between OC for PA practice and MD was only found for the PA-administration relations subscale, whereas all subscales were negatively associated with burnout.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that the risk of professional burnout increases significantly with increasing levels of MD. Additional research exploring the relationship between MD and burnout is needed.

Estimation of moral distress among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Moral distress is a common challenge among professional nurses when caring for their patients, especially when they need to make rapid decisions. Therefore, leaving moral distress unconsidered may jeopardize patient quality of care, safety, and satisfaction.

AIM

To estimate moral distress among nurses.

METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis conducted systematic search in Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest, ISI Web of Knowledge, and PsycInfo up to end of February 2022. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa checklist. Data from included studies were pooled by meta-analysis with random effect model in STATA software version 14. The selected key measure was mean score of moral distress total score with its' 95% Confidence Interval was reported. Subgroup analyses and meta-regressions were conducted to identify possible sources of heterogeneity and potentially influencing variables on moral distress. Funnel plots and Begg's Tests were used to assess publication bias. The Jackknife method was used for sensitivity analysis.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATION

The protocol of this project was registered in the PROSPERO database under decree code of CRD42021267773.

RESULTS

Eighty-six manuscripts with 19,537 participants from 21 countries were included. The pooled estimated mean score of moral distress was 2.55 on a 0-10 scale [95% Confidence Interval: 2.27-2.84, I²: 98.4%, Tau²:0.94]. Publication bias and small study effect was ruled out. Moral distress significantly decreased in the COVID-19 pandemic versus before. Nurses working in developing countries experienced higher level of moral distress compared to their counterparts in developed countries. Nurses' workplace (e.g., hospital ward) was not linked to severity of moral disturbance.

CONCLUSION

The results of the study showed a low level of pooled estimated score for moral distress. Although the score of moral distress was not high, nurses working in developing countries reported higher levels of moral distress than those working in developed countries. Therefore, it is necessary that future studies focus on creating a supportive environment in hospitals and medical centers for nurses to reduce moral distress and improve healthcare.

The severity of moral distress in nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Moral distress is one of the most important problems that nurses face in their care of patients. Various studies have reported the frequency and severity of moral distress in nurses. However, to date, a comprehensive study that shows the results of these research across the world was not found, therefore due to the importance of this issue, its role in the health of nurses and patients, and the lack of general statistics about it worldwide, the present study was conducted to determine the frequency and severity of moral distress in nurses through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

In this review study, searching national and international databases of SID, MagIran, IranMedex, IranDoc, Google Scholar, Embase, ScienceDirect, Scopus, CINHAL, PubMed, and Web of Science (WoS) between 2005 and February 2020 were extracted. The random-effects model was used for analysis, and the heterogeneity of studies with the I² index was investigated. Data were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (Version 2).

RESULTS

The frequency of moral distress in 9 articles with a sample size of 1576 persons was 1.7 ± 0.5 from (0-4), in 13 articles with a sample size of 1870 persons, 3.07 ± 0.1 from (0-5), in 6 articles with a sample size of 1316 persons, 3.2 ± 0.29 from (0-6), in 18 articles with a sample size of 1959 persons, 4.6 ± 0.518 from (1-7) and in 35 articles with a sample size of 3718 persons, 81.1 ± 4.6 from (216-30), and the severity of moral distress in 4 articles with a sample size of 1116 persons, 1.7 ± 0.37 from (0-4), in 5 articles with a sample size of 1282 persons, 2.6 ± 0.28 from (0-5), in 5 articles with a sample size of 944 persons, 3.9 ± 0.63 from (0-6) and in 8 articles with a sample size of 901 persons was 82.3 ± 5.4 (0-216).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study showed that the frequency and severity of moral distress in nurses are high and are a serious problem in nurses. Therefore, policymakers in this field should consider its role in the health of nurses and patients.

The Experience of Moral Distress by Chief Nurse Officers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

AIM

To explore the moral distress experiences of chief nurse officers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND

Moral distress has emerged as a challenge for nurses ad nurse leaders, revealing the need for health professionals and health care managers to examine, understand and deal with moral distress un Nurse leaders.

METHODS

A descriptive phenomenological study with content analysis.

RESULTS

Thirteen chief/assistant nurse officers were interviewed, and four themes were identified: being a manager in the pandemic, situations that cause moral distress, effects of moral distress, and factors that reduce moral distress CONCLUSION: Faced with various expectations, such as the management of unusual and uncertain processes, and the management of the psychological responses of both employees and themselves, chief nurse officers struggled significantly to maintain their moral integrity and experienced moral distress during the COVID-19 pandemic.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Extraordinary situations such as pandemics have factors which led to moral distress for a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). Healthcare systems in which nurse managers are excluded from decision-making processes, have a traditional hierarchical structure that ignores CNOs professional autonomy, contribute to the development of moral distress. Therefore, CNOs should engage in self-reflection to recognize their own moral distress experiences, examine the existing health system to identify the factors that cause moral distress, and take actions to implement changes to eliminate these factors. To cope with moral distress, CNOs should also improve their communication skills, team collaboration skills, the use of scientific knowledge, and take responsibility in their managerial role.

Moral Distress Events and Emotional Trajectories in Nursing Narratives during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic produced several ethical challenges for nurses, impacting their mental health and moral distress. In the moral distress model the categories of events related to moral distress are: constraint, dilemma, uncertainty, conflict, and tension, each one related to different emotions. This study explored moral events’ memories and emotions in narratives of a sample of 43 Italian nurses who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. We constructed an ad-hoc narrative interview asking nurses to narrate the memory, and the associated emotion, of an event in which they felt they could not do the right thing for the patient. We conducted a theory-driven analysis, using the categories proposed by the literature, identifying the main emotion for each category. Results show that 36 memories of events are representative of moral distress; among these, 7 are representative of none of the categories considered, and we categorized them as moral compromise. The main emotional trajectories are powerlessness, worthlessness, anger, sadness, guilt, and helplessness. From a clinical psychological point of view, our findings highlight the narration of the memories of moral events as a tool to use in the ethical sense-making of critical experiences, in order to promote well-being and moral resilience among nurses in emergency situations.

Mental health nurses' experience of challenging workplace situations: A qualitative descriptive study

Mental health nursing is acknowledged internationally as being a demanding profession; however, little is known about the range of experience and complexity of workplace challenges or their impacts on mental health nurses (MHN). This qualitative descriptive study aimed to examine and describe the range of challenging workplace situations experienced by MHN and is reported according to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research. An online cross-sectional survey collected demographic data and open-ended descriptions of workplace challenges experienced by n = 374 Australian MHN. Using a modified a priori framework, four categories of experience were derived through content analysis: consumer-related, colleague-related, nursing role-related, and organizational service-related challenges. Many accounts described a complex interplay of challenges. The findings extend prior knowledge on MHN experiences. Frequent workplace challenges included violence and aggression from consumers, bullying from colleagues, low staffing levels, and poor skill mix. Further extending the evidence, key challenges rarely described in prior literature were the psychological impacts of suicides and murder; the personal nature of threats from consumers; moral distress and concerns with colleagues' quality of practice; and exacerbation of practice-related issues by lack of support from colleagues and/or the organization. These have important implications for the profession and can inform targeted strategies to reduce stressors where possible, build staff well-being, support workforce retention, and improve the provision of quality care. The implementation of targeted policy and initiatives that focus on reducing key stressors and supporting practice are vital to staff retention and ensuring a high standard of practice in complex mental health workplaces.

Determinants of Moral Distress Among Mental Health Professionals

Background:

It is assumed that understanding moral distress and its correlated factors among mental health professionals would enhance understanding of the ethical dilemmas that mental health professionals are confronting.

Objectives:

To identify moral distress determinants among Jordanian mental health professionals working in psychiatric in-patient settings.

Methods:

A cross-sectional descriptive design was used, employing self-administered questionnaire.

Results:

Two- steps multiple hierarchical regression analysis showed that model 1 that includes the demographic characteristics, was significant with R2 = .151, while in model 2 that included demographics and the psychological characteristics of stress factors, it was found to be also significant R2 = .243.

Conclusion:

Morally distressing environments might diminish the quality of psychiatric care provided as well as the job satisfaction among healthcare providers.

Determinants of Moral Distress Among Mental Health Professionals

Background:

It is assumed that understanding moral distress and its correlated factors among mental health professionals would enhance understanding of the ethical dilemmas that mental health professionals are confronting.

Objectives:

To identify moral distress determinants among Jordanian mental health professionals working in psychiatric in-patient settings.

Methods:

A cross-sectional descriptive design was used, employing self-administered questionnaire.

Results:

Two- steps multiple hierarchical regression analysis showed that model 1 that includes the demographic characteristics, was significant with R2 = .151, while in model 2 that included demographics and the psychological characteristics of stress factors, it was found to be also significant R2 = .243.

Conclusion:

Morally distressing environments might diminish the quality of psychiatric care provided as well as the job satisfaction among healthcare providers.

A Scoping Review of Moral Stressors, Moral Distress and Moral Injury in Healthcare Workers during COVID-19

Ethical dilemmas for healthcare workers (HCWs) during pandemics highlight the centrality of moral stressors and moral distress (MD) as well as potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) and moral injury (MI). These constructs offer a novel approach to understanding workplace stressors in healthcare settings, especially in the demanding times of COVID-19, but they so far lack clear identification of causes and consequences. A scoping review of moral stressors, moral distress, PMIEs, and MI of healthcare workers during COVID-19 was conducted using the databases Web of Science Core Collection and PsycINFO based on articles published up to October 2021. Studies were selected based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) the measurement of either moral stress, MD, PMIEs, or MI among HCWs; (2) original research using qualitative or quantitative methods; and (3) the availability of the peer-reviewed original article in English or German. The initial search revealed n = 149,394 studies from Web of Science and n = 34 studies from EBSCOhost. Nineteen studies were included in the review. Conditions representing moral stressors and PMIEs as well as MD and MI as their potential outcomes in healthcare contexts during COVID-19 are presented and discussed. Highlighting MD and MI in HCWs during COVID-19 brings attention to the need for conceptualizing the impact of moral stressors of any degree. Therefore, the development of a common, theoretically founded model of MD and MI is desirable.

An evaluation of moral distress among healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic in Palestine

BACKGROUND

Moral distress among healthcare workers (HCWs) is considered a serious issue in all aspects of healthcare divisions, which needs an urgent intervention.

AIMS

The study aims at evaluating moral distress among HCWs which will help the healthcare management and decision-makers in hospitals and health centers to act in a comprehensiveness and effective way by reinforcing moral thinking and behavior in selected coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine centers across Palestine.

METHODS

Ninety-four HCWs were selected by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using revised Corley's Standard Moral Distress (MD) Scale and analyzed using SPSS software version 23.

RESULTS

The mean score of MD for HCWs was low (1.24 ± 0.71). The mean score of MD severity was moderate (1.4 ± 0.93). The severity and frequency of MD in HCWs had a significant reverse relationship with years of experience, number of children of worker, and duration of work with COVID-19 patients.

CONCLUSION

It is important to create a professional psychological support system for HCWs to decrease MD when facing moral issues.

STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH MORAL DISTRESS ADOPTED BY NURSES IN TERTIARY CARE: A SCOPING REVIEW

ABSTRACT Objective: to map the scientific evidence on strategies for coping with moral distress adopted by nurses in the context of health services in tertiary care. Method: this is a Scoping Review based on the PRISMA-ScR recommendations. The searches were performed in September 2020 in the MEDLINE®, National Library of Medicine, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Cochrane and Biblioteca Virtual en Saúde databases. The eligibility criterion was to include studies that discussed strategies for coping with moral distress adopted by nurses in tertiary care, finding 2,041 studies, which were organized and screened in the Endnote software. The data were organized in Excel spreadsheets and analysis of the results was performed using the ATLAS.ti software. Results: the final selected sample consisted of 23 studies, which were grouped in two axes: strategies and recommendations. Four articles were included in the “strategies” axis, which reported actions taken to face moral distress, detailing the intervention and their results. The others, included in the “recommendations” axis, are articles whose focus was the experience of moral distress, suggesting important aspects to face it. Conclusion: recognition of moral distress by nurses and the opportunity for collective discussion and exchange of experiences are ways of collectively facing the situations. In addition, the institution's active participation in carrying out interventions was recommended. However, gaps were noticed in the production of studies that actually go deeper into intervention actions to cope with moral distress.

Moral Distress in Hospitals During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Web-Based Survey Among 3,293 Healthcare Workers Within the German Network University Medicine

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between moral distress and mental health symptoms, socio-demographic, occupational, and COVID-19-related variables, and to determine differences in healthcare workers’ (HCW) moral distress during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: Data from 3,293 HCW from a web-based survey conducted between the 20th of April and the 5th of July 2020 were analyzed. We focused on moral distress (Moral Distress Thermometer, MDT), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-2, PHQ-2), anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2, GAD-2), and increased general distress of nurses, physicians, medical-technical assistants (MTA), psychologists/psychotherapists, and pastoral counselors working in German hospitals.

Results: The strongest correlations for moral distress were found with depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, occupancy rate at current work section, and contact with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Nurses and MTA experienced significantly higher moral distress than physicians, psychologists/psychotherapists, and pastoral counselors. The average level of moral distress reported by nurses from all work areas was similar to levels which before the pandemic were only experienced by nurses in intensive or critical care units.

Conclusion: Results indicate that moral distress is a relevant phenomenon among HCW in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of whether they work at the frontline or not and requires urgent attention.

Understanding the factors that affect retention within the mental health nursing workforce: a systematic review and thematic synthesis

There are over 41 000 vacant nursing posts across the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS), with more people leaving the profession that joining it. Despite mental health being acknowledged as a priority area, some of the most significant staff shortages are occurring within mental health services. Urgent action is needed to retain the mental health nurses (MHNs) currently in post to ensure the profession is fit for purpose and aid future recruitment efforts. This review set out to identify the individual factors that affect the retention of MHNs. A systematic search of six databases was conducted (CINAHL, PsychINFO, MEDLINE, Web of Science (Core collection), EMBASE and the British Nursing Index). Studies were systematically screened for inclusion based on predetermined eligibility criteria. The studies were quality assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Findings were synthesized using Thematic Synthesis. A total of 23 studies consisting of a range of study designs were included in the review. Four key themes emerged from the synthesis: Individual characteristics, Working within mental health services, Training and skills and Work environment. The findings from this review suggest that MHNs encounter some factors unique to working in mental health services, which suggests that retention strategies should be specific to each nursing speciality. Beyond nursing speciality, the factors identified vary between clinical settings in mental health due to the differences in work environments and services they provide. Future studies should now set out to explore what factors exist in which clinical settings to inform better tailored retention strategies to generate better outcomes.

The association between moral distress and mental health among nurses working at selected hospitals in Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

In the event of an epidemic outbreak, the mental health of medical staff, including nurses who serve on the frontlines of hospitals, can be affected; thus, the identification of factors affecting nurses' mental health is of importance.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the association between moral distress and the mental health of nurses working at four selected hospitals in Iran during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted on 296 nurses working at the selected hospitals in Bushehr and Shiraz (south of Iran) at the time of the COVID-19 outbreak. The collected data were analyzed via logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean scores for nurses' moral distress were low (54.31±24.84). The results of this study indicated more symptoms of mental issues among nurses (73.60%). Moreover, a significant association was observed between mental health and moral distress. Among the examined demographic variables, only gender had a significant association with mental health (p-value = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicated that an increase in moral distress would lead to a significant increase in mental health issues of the examined nurses. Nurse managers and hospital policymakers should develop strategies to enhance nurses' level of mental health, as well as providing adequate emotional and family support for nurses. Considering the intensifying role of gender in this association, timely interventions are necessary to reduce the negative effects of workplace pressure/stress on female nurses.

Psychometrics of the moral distress scale in Iranian mental health nurses

BACKGROUND

One of the challenges that nurses often face in ethical decision-making situations is moral distress. Moral distress is caused by the conflict between professional and individual values in decision-making situations. Despite its importance, there is no reliable scale in Persian to measure it. Therefore, this study was conducted to validate the moral distress scale in mental health nurses in Iranian culture and Persian language.

METHODS

This study was conducted in two parts: Translation and cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric analysis. The translation and cross-cultural adaptation process was conducted based on the Polit approach. Next, face validity (qualitative), content validity (quantitative and qualitative), and construct validity were examined. This part of the study was a cross-sectional study. In this step, a demographic questionnaire and the Moral Distress Scale were sent to 500 nurses working in selected educational and medical centers in Iran via online questionnaires. Then, the construct validity of the "Moral Distress Scale" was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis and the reliability of the instrument was examined by studying the internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha and the internal correlation of the AIC.

RESULTS

The confirmatory factor analysis showed an acceptable ratio of the expressions in 15 items in three factors: Acquiescence to patients' rights violations (6 items), Unethical conduct by caregivers (5 items), and low staffing (4 items) in the scale. The internal consistency of the instrument with Cronbach's alpha was higher than 7.0.

CONCLUSION

The Persian version of moral distress with 15 items of the three factors had validity and reliability. According to the present findings, this scale can be used to study moral distress among nurses working in psychiatric wards. Moral distress leads to burnout, increases risks to patient safety and reduces quality of care. Nurses need to be able to assess and manage moral distress. Therefore, considering the side effects, it is necessary to have a reliable and valid scale that can be studied. Considering that culture has an impact on nurses' moral distress, it is suggested that this instrument be studied in and tested in other languages and cultures.

Moral Distress Among Oncology Social Workers

PURPOSE

Literature on moral distress among oncology social workers (OSWs) is sparse. The aim of the current study was to examine the prevalence of moral distress and its domains of influence, and to identify demographic and work-related characteristics associated with moral distress among OSWs.

METHODS

Data came from the Oncology Social Work Competencies, Opportunities, Roles, and Expertise survey, conducted from August to September 2020 (during the COVID-19 global pandemic). Data collected included demographic information (eg, age, sex, and race) and work-related characteristics (eg, job position, organization type, work setting, employment status, salary, years in the profession, and OSW-C certification). Moral distress was measured using the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals. Tests of association, including multivariate linear regression, were conducted to achieve the research aims.

RESULTS

Total moral distress scores on the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals (range 0-432) for 745 OSWs ranged from 1 to 273, with an average score of 74.0. The three highest indicators of moral distress were observed in the patient or family experience domain. Higher levels of moral distress were associated with younger age, being a direct service provider, provision of inpatient cancer care, and more years in the profession.

CONCLUSION

OSWs are experiencing moral distress. Institutional investments in professional education and support of OSWs are needed to mitigate and possibly prevent moral distress experienced by cancer care providers and thus ensure the delivery of quality psychosocial care for patients with cancer and their families.

High Moral Distress in Clinicians Involved in the Care of Undocumented Immigrants Needing Dialysis in the United States

Purpose: To understand clinicians' perspectives on dialysis care of undocumented immigrants.

Methods: A 21-item Internet-based survey using Survey Monkey^® was sent to 765 physicians and nurses at a safety-net hospital located in Indianapolis, IN. Moral distress thermometer score was used to assess moral distress (MD). Participants were asked to rate their MD regarding five ethically challenging clinical situations: (1) frail patients with multiple comorbidities and poor quality of life, (2) patients with dementia, (3) a noncompliant patient with frequent emergency room (ER) visits, (4) violent patients with potential harm to others, and (5) undocumented immigrants receiving emergent dialysis only.

Key Results: There were 299 of 775 participants (38.5% response rate) who completed the survey; 49.5% were physicians. Nearly half (48%) reported severe MD and 33% reported none to mild. In adjusted ordered logistic regression, females had significantly higher odds of MD (odds ratio [OR]=2.12, CI 1.03–4.33), and nurses had lower MD than fellows/residents (OR=0.14, CI 0.03–0.63). Over 70% of respondents attributed their distress to suffering of patients due to inadequate dialysis and tension between what is considered ethical and the law allows or forbids; 78% believed the patients' quality of life to be worse than those who receive routine hemodialysis. Among nephrologists, caring for these patients led to MD levels like that of dealing with a violent dialysis patient.

Conclusions: Emergent-only dialysis causes significant MD in clinicians. Legal and fiscal policies need to be balanced with the ethical and moral commitments of providers for ensuring standard of care to all.

Moral distress and ethical climate in intensive care medicine during COVID-19: a nationwide study

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has created ethical challenges for intensive care unit (ICU) professionals, potentially causing moral distress. This study explored the levels and causes of moral distress and the ethical climate in Dutch ICUs during COVID-19.

Methods

An extended version of the Measurement of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals (MMD-HP) and Ethical Decision Making Climate Questionnaire (EDMCQ) were online distributed among all 84 ICUs. Moral distress scores in nurses and intensivists were compared with the historical control group one year before COVID-19.

Results

Three hundred forty-five nurses (70.7%), 40 intensivists (8.2%), and 103 supporting staff (21.1%) completed the survey. Moral distress levels were higher for nurses than supporting staff. Moral distress levels in intensivists did not differ significantly from those of nurses and supporting staff. “Inadequate emotional support for patients and their families” was the highest-ranked cause of moral distress for all groups of professionals. Of all factors, all professions rated the ethical climate most positively regarding the culture of mutual respect,  ethical awareness and support. “Culture of not avoiding end-of-life-decisions” and “Self-reflective and empowering leadership” received the lowest mean scores. Moral distress scores during COVID-19 were significantly lower for ICU nurses (p < 0.001) and intensivists (p < 0.05) compared to one year prior.

Conclusion

Levels and causes of moral distress vary between ICU professionals and differ from the historical control group. Targeted interventions that address moral distress during a crisis are desirable to improve the mental health and retention of ICU professionals and the quality of patient care.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12910-021-00641-3.

Moral distress among nurses: A mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

Moral distress is recognized as a problem affecting healthcare professionals globally. Unaddressed moral distress may lead to withdrawal from the moral dimensions of patient care, burnout, or leaving the profession. Despite the importance, studies related to moral distress are scant in Thailand.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to describe the experience of moral distress and related factors among Thai nurses.

DESIGN

A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used. The quantitative and qualitative data were collected in parallel using the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals and interview guide. The analysis was conducted separately and then integrated.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were Thai nurses from two large tertiary care institutions in a Southern province of Thailand.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

This study was approved by our organization's Institutional Review Board for Health Sciences Research, and by the Institutional Review Boards of the two local institutions in Thailand. Permission from the publisher was received to translate and utilize the Measure of Moral Distress (MMD-HP) under the license number: 4676990097151.

RESULTS

A total of 462 participants completed the survey questions. The top 7 causes of moral distress were related to system-level root causes and end-of-life care situations. Hierarchical multiple regression showed that work units, considering leaving position, and number of moral distress episodes in the past year were significant predictors of moral distress. Twenty interviews demonstrated three main themes of distressing causes: (1) powerlessness (at patients/family-, team-, and organizational-levels), (2) end-of-life issues, and (3) poor team function (poor communication and collaboration, incompetent healthcare providers, and inappropriate behavior of colleagues). The integration of data from both components indicated that the qualitative interviews enrich the quantitative findings, especially as related to the top 7 causes of moral distress.

DISCUSSION

Although the experience of moral distress among Thai nurses is similar to studies conducted elsewhere, the patient's and family's religious perspective that ties into the concept of moral distress needs to be explored.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the root causes of moral distress are similar among different cultures, the experience of Thai nurses may vary according to culture and context.

Moral distress and its contributing factors among emergency department nurses: A cross-sectional study in Iran

BACKGROUND

Moral Distress (MD) is a common experience in nursing practice and constitutes one of the main reasons for professional burnout, job withdrawal, fatigue, and avoidance of patient care among nurses. The causes, frequency and severity of MD vary according to the ward and hospital of service. The present study was conducted to determine the frequency and severity of MD and its contributing factors among Emergency Department (ED) nurses in Iran.

METHODS

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019.A total of 203 participants were selected by census sampling from the 248 nurses working in the EDs of hospitals in Semnan Province, Iran. Data were collected using Corley's Moral Distress Scale-Revised and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

FINDINGS

The mean severity and frequency of MD were 1.36 ± 0.74 and 1.20 ± 0.68 out of 4, respectively. The MD levels were significantly higher in female nurses (p = 0.002), those under 30 years of age (p = 0.003), with less than ten years' work experience (p = 0.03), and with higher levels of education (p < 0.001). In addition, inverse and significant relationships were found between MD and the nurses' age (r = -0.202,p = 0.004) and work experience(r = -0.149, p = 0.034).

CONCLUSION

According to the results, nurses had moderate levels of MD. Numerous factors, including age, gender, work experience, and education, were associated with the total MD score.To reduce MD and its negative effects on nurses, it is necessary to address these factors and appropriately plan to identify and manage MD so as to improve the quality of nursing care.

Instruments to assess moral distress among healthcare workers: A systematic review of measurement properties

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of professionals are challenged by the evolution of modern healthcare and society, often characterized by more expectations with reduced resources. Moral distress is among the psychophysical conditions now most under investigation in order to improve the wellbeing of professionals, the sustainability of organizations and the quality of care. Over the last decades, several instruments have been developed to assess the frequency or intensity of moral distress in different studies. Yet, there has not been, so far, a systematic assessment of the qualitative properties of the various instruments measuring moral distress in healthcare workers based on a universally accepted standardized framework.

OBJECTIVE

(1) To identify all instruments for the measurement of moral distress available in recent literature; (2) to evaluate the evidence regarding their measurement properties; (3) to facilitate the selection of the most appropriate instrument to be adopted in practice and research.

DESIGN

Systematic literature review.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, CINAHL, and PyscINFO.

REVIEW METHODS

The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments checklist was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the identified studies. The quality of measurement properties of each instrument was evaluated using Terwee's quality criteria.

RESULTS

Among the 1268 studies found, 88 full-text articles evaluated moral distress adopting different tools. Thirty two of them had a methodological design. The measurement instruments assessed in this review are different in terms of targeted population and items. The instruments were then divided into two main categories: (1) Corley's instruments on moral distress (Moral distress scale and Moral Distress Scale - Revised) and (2) instruments not directly derived from Corley's moral distress theory (Moral Distress thermometer, Moral Distress Risk Scale, Ethical Stress Scale or Moral Distress in Dementia Care Survey). The first set is the most frequently studied and used in different clinical settings and healthcare populations. A variety of psychometric properties have been evaluated for each instrument, revealing different qualities in the methodology used.

CONCLUSIONS

Several instruments assessing moral distress in healthcare workers have been identified and evaluated in this systematic review. Based on the criteria used here, Corley's instruments on moral distress seems to be the most useful and most appropriate to the clinical setting for practice and research purposes.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

The aim of this systematic review was to identify the instruments measuring moral distress now available in the literature, in order to (1) assess the evidence about their measurement properties, (2) support the selection of the most appropriate instrument to be used in practice and research.

A contextual behavioral approach for responding to moral dilemmas in the age of COVID-19

Prior pandemics and current news stories suggest that a “second pandemic” of potentially devastating mental health consequences will follow the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the changing contextual demands associated with the pandemic for many people, the mental health consequences of COVID-19 are likely to include exposure to a range of moral dilemmas. Such dilemmas may set the stage for the development of moral distress and moral injury in a broad range of contexts from the ER to the grocery store. In the current paper we offer an approach to responding to moral dilemmas presented by COVID-19. We propose a contextual behavioral model of moral injury that is relevant to those experiencing moral pain associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on this model, we offer two different approaches to intervening on COVID-19-related moral dilemmas. First, we propose the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Moral Injury (ACT-MI) among individuals suffering from moral injury. Second, to intervene on moral dilemmas at the level of the group, we propose the use of the Prosocial intervention. We offer case examples describing ACT-MI and Prosocial to highlight how these interventions might be applied to moral-dilemma-related concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss implications for future research.

•

CBS can be applied to COVID-19-related moral distress and moral injury.

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ACT-MI may be used to intervene on COVID-19-related moral distress and injury.

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Prosocial may help groups respond to moral dilemmas and could prevent moral injury.

Ethical Conflicts Experienced by Nurses in Geriatric Hospitals in South Korea: "If You Can't Stand the Heat, Get Out of the Kitchen"

Ethical conflicts among nurses can undermine nurses’ psychological comfort and compromise the quality of patient care. In the last decade, several empirical studies on the phenomena related to ethical conflicts, such as ethical dilemmas, issues, problems, difficulties, or challenges, have been reported; however, they have not always deeply explored the meaning of ethical conflicts experienced by nurses in geriatric care. This study aims to understand the lived experiences of ethical conflict of nurses in geriatric hospitals in South Korea. A phenomenological study was conducted. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were performed with nine registered nurses who cared for elderly patients in geriatric hospitals in South Korea between August 2015 and January 2016. Three main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) confusing values for good nursing, (2) distress resulting from not taking required action despite knowing about a problem, and (3) avoiding ethical conflicts as a last resort. It was found that for geriatric nurses to cope with ethical conflicts successfully, clear ethical guidance, continuing ethics education to improve ethical knowledge and moral behaviors, and a supportive system or program to resolve ethical conflicts involving nurses should be established.

Moral Distress and Its Associated Factors Among Nurses in Northwest Amhara Regional State Referral Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Moral distress is the cognitive-emotional dissonance that arises when one feels compelled to act against one's moral requirements. The study aimed to assess the proportion of moral distress and associated factors among nurses working in Northwest Amhara Regional State referral hospitals in 2018.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among nurses working at Northwest Amhara regional state referral hospitals from April 1-30/2018. A total of 423 study participants were enrolled in the study. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. A pretested self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R) was used to assess the proportion of moral distress. Epi info version 7 for data entry and SPSS version 22 for data analysis were used. A binary logistic model was computed. Variables having p-value < 0.5 with 95% CI were used to declare the presence of significant associations.

RESULTS

A total of 423 study participants were enrolled in the study with a response rate of 97.4%. The mean (SD) age of the respondents was 30.62 ± 5.7 years. The majority of nurses 350 (85%) were degree and above holders in nursing. The proportion of moral distress among nurses was found to be 83.7%. Work experience 11-20 years [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=2, 95% CI: 1.01, 3.34], perceived poor team communication [AOR=4.5, 95% CI: 1.78, 11.62], perceived powerlessness in decision making [AOR=3.3, 95% CI: 1.38, 7.87], inadequate staffing [AOR=2.96, 95% CI: 1.26, 6.97], and inappropriate provision of care [AOR=4.12, 95% CI: 1.55, 10.9] were significantly associated with moral distress.

CONCLUSION

Nurses frequently experienced moral distress in clinical settings. Perceived poor communication, perceived powerlessness in decision making, inadequate staffing, and inappropriate provision care were the factors associated with moral distress.

Moral Distress Assessment in the Nursing Team of a Hematology-Oncology Sector

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the frequency and intensity of Moral Distress, and to analyze the associations between Moral Distress and sociodemographic and labor characteristics of the nursing team of a Hematology-Oncology. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 46 nursing professionals from a Hematology-Oncology sector of a hospital institution in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, through the application of the Moral Distress Scale - Brazilian version. In the data analysis, descriptive statistics and nonparametric association tests were used. Results: Mortal Distress intensity of 3.27 (SD= 1.79) and frequency of 1.72 (SD= 1.02) were found in this team. The Moral Distress of greater intensity and frequency were related to the denial of the role of Nursing as a patient's advocate and the disrespect to the patient's autonomy, respectively. Conclusion: It is suggested a greater space for discussion among professionals, multiprofessional team and managers, so that adequate conditions of action and communication are provided.

Nurses' Moral Distress, Burnout, and Intentions to Leave: An Integrative Review

Moral distress has been widely addressed across the nursing profession and within other disciplines. Forensic nurses are a vital part of the nursing profession as they care for complex patients who may suffer physically and psychologically. However, forensic nurses' moral distress in the context of caring for victims of violence has not been addressed. This integrative review of the literature reveals the consequences of moral distress on the nursing workforce particularly regarding nurses' burnout and intentions to leave their jobs. Turnover contributes to the country's critical shortage of nurses, which affects the quality of care patients receive and increases the costs for healthcare institutions.

Relationships Among Palliative Care, Ethical Climate, Empowerment, and Moral Distress in Intensive Care Unit Nurses

BACKGROUND

Intensive care unit nurses experience moral distress when they feel unable to deliver ethically appropriate care to patients. Moral distress is associated with nurse burnout and patient care avoidance.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate relationships among moral distress, empowerment, ethical climate, and access to palliative care in the intensive care unit.

METHODS

Intensive care unit nurses in a national database were recruited to complete an online survey based on the Moral Distress Scale-Revised, Psychological Empowerment Index, Hospital Ethical Climate Survey, and a palliative care delivery questionnaire. Descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Of 288 initiated surveys, 238 were completed. Participants were nationally representative of nurses by age, years of experience, and geographical region. Most were white and female and had a bachelor's degree. The mean moral distress score was moderately high, and correlations were found with empowerment (r = -0.145; P = .02) and ethical climate scores (r = -0.354; P < .001). Relationships between moral distress and empowerment scores and between moral distress and ethical climate scores were not affected by access to palliative care. Nurses reporting palliative care access had higher moral distress scores than those without such access. Education, ethnicity, unit size, access to full palliative care team, and ethical climate explained variance in moral distress scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Poor ethical climate, unintegrated palliative care teams, and nurse empowerment are associated with increased moral distress. The findings highlight the need to promote palliative care education and palliative care teams that are well integrated into intensive care units.

Moral distress and burnout in Iranian nurses: The mediating effect of workplace bullying

BACKGROUND

Moral distress and workplace bullying are important issues in the nursing workplace that appear to affect nurse's burnout.

AIM

To investigate the relationship between moral distress and burnout in Iranian nurses, as mediated by their perceptions of workplace bullying.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The research was approved by the committee of ethics in research of the Urmia University of Medical Sciences.

METHOD

This is a correlation study using a cross-sectional design with anonymous questionnaires as study instruments (i.e. Moral Distress Scale-Revised, Maslach Burnout Inventory and The Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised). Data were collected from 278 nurses from five teaching hospitals in Urmia, the capital of Western Azerbaijan, northwest of Iran. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping procedures were employed to recognize the mediating role of their perceptions of workplace bullying.

RESULTS

The mean score of moral distress, burnout, and the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised Scale among the participants were 91.02 ± 35.26, 79.9 ± 18.27, and 45.4 ± 15.39, respectively. The results confirmed our hypothesized model. All the latent variables of study were significantly correlated in the predicted directions. The moral distress and bullying were significant predictors of burnout. Perception of bullying partially mediated the relationship between moral distress and burnout. The mediating role of the bullying suggests that moral distress increases burnout, directly and indirectly.

CONCLUSION

Nursing administrators should be conscious of the role of moral distress and bullying in the nursing workplace in increasing burnout.

Physical therapists' perception of workplace ethics in an evolving health-care delivery environment: a cross-sectional survey

Physical therapists are trained and obligated to deliver optimal health care and put patients first above all else. In the changing health-care environment, health-care organizations are grappling with controlling cost and increasing revenues. Moral distress may be created when physical therapists' desire to provide optimal care conflicts with their organization's goals to remain financially viable or profitable. Moral distress has been associated with low perception of ethical environment, professional burnout, and high turnover in organizations. This study identified groups who may be vulnerable to low perception of organizational ethical environment and identified self-reported strategies to remedy these perceptions. An ethics environment questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 1200 physical therapists in Georgia. Respondents (n = 340) were analyzed by age, workplace setting, and position in organization. Therapists working in skilled nursing/assisted living environments scored the lowest on the questionnaire and voiced concerns regarding their ethical work environments. Owners and executives perceived their organizations to be more ethical than front-line clinicians. Respondent concerns included high productivity standards, aggressive coding/billing policies, decreased reimbursement, and increased insurance regulation. Possible solutions included more frequent communication between management and clinicians about ethics, greater professional autonomy, and increased training in business ethics and finance.

Moral Distress (MD) and burnout in mental health nurses: a multicenter survey

INTRODUCTION

Moral Distress (MD) is a common experience among nurses and if it is not recognised and treated, it may lead to serious consequences on nurses' health and quality of care. MD has been studied in several healthcare contexts. However, there are only few studies on MD in psychiatry and in Italy there are no data in this field.  Objective: To assess the presence of MD among mental health nurses in Italy and verify whether there is a relationship between MD and burnout.

METHODS

We conducted a multicentre survey among nurses of Mental Health services of four hospitals in Milan. The MD Scale for Psychiatric NursesItalianrevised (MDS-PItarev) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were used for data collection. Factor analysis and calculation of content validity index (CVI) and Cronbach's alpha were performed on the Italian version of the MDS-PIta. Three items of the old version of the scale were removed, because judged not relevant in the Italian context. The revised scale maintained excellent CVI (0.89) and Cronbach's alpha (0.93).

RESULTS

Of 285 questionnaires distributed, 228 (80%) were returned. The median of MD was 2 (scale range 0-6); MD is correlated with two burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion (rho(ρ)=0.28, p<0,001) and depersonalization (ρ=0.20, p<0,001).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study about MD among psychiatric nurses in Italy. We found a medium-low level of MD among nurses who participated in the survey. We also found a modest but significant correlation between MD and two dimensions of MBI. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.

Exploration of the Association between Nurses' Moral Distress and Secondary Traumatic Stress Syndrome: Implications for Patient Safety in Mental Health Services

Work-related moral distress (MD) and secondary traumatic stress syndrome (STSS) may be associated with compromised health status among health professionals, reduced productivity, and inadequate safety of care. We explored the association of MD with the severity of STSS symptoms, along with the mediating role of mental distress symptoms. Associations with emotional exhaustion and professional satisfaction were also assessed. This cross-sectional survey conducted in 206 mental health nurses (MHNs) was employed across public sector community and hospital settings in Cyprus. The analysis revealed that MD (measured by the modified Moral Distress Scale) was positively associated with both STSS (measured by the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale) and mental distress symptoms (assessed by the General Health Questionnaire-28). The association of MD with STSS symptoms was partially mediated by mental distress symptoms. This association remained largely unchanged after adjusting for gender, age, education, rank, and intention to quit the job. Our findings provide preliminary evidence on the association between MD and STSS symptomatology in MHNs. Situations that may lead health professionals to be in moral distress seem to be mainly related to the work environment; thus interventions related to organizational empowerment of MHNs need to be developed.

Relationship between moral distress and ethical climate with job satisfaction in nurses

BACKGROUND:

Moral distress and ethical climate are important issues in the workplace that appear to affect people's quality of work life.

OBJECTIVES:

This study was conducted to determine the relationship of moral distress and ethical climate to job satisfaction in critical care nurses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

This descriptive-correlation study was conducted on 142 critical care nurses, selected from five social security hospitals in north Iran through census sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Moral Distress Scale-Revised, the Olson's Hospital Ethical Climate Survey, and the Brayfield and Rothe Job Satisfaction index.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The research project was approved by the Ethics Committee of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences and the Medical Deputy of the Social Security Organization.

FINDINGS:

The mean scores obtained by the critical care nurses for moral distress, ethical climate, and job satisfaction were 87.02 ± 44.56, 3.51 ± 0.53, and 62.64 ± 9.39, respectively. Although no significant relationships were observed between moral distress and job satisfaction, the relationship between ethical climate and job satisfaction was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Identifying ethical stressors in the workplace and giving proper feedback to the authorities to eliminate these factors and improve the ethical climate in these workplaces can help enhance job satisfaction in nurses and lead to higher quality care.

Responses and Results to Ethical Problems by Psychiatric Nurses in Japan

The aim of this study was to investigate the responses of Japanese psychiatric nurses to ethical problems, and the results of those issues. The participants were 130 nurses who worked in psychiatry wards in a hospital. The nurses answered the question "how did you respond when you faced an ethical problem and what results did you get?" in free description. Seven categories were selected qualitatively from their responses: "Lack of action and no change," "Experiencing problems and feeling gloomy," "Pointing out misconduct and being hurt," "Consultation among staff and resolution or not," "Consultation with physicians and getting positive or negative responses," and "Searching for and providing evidence-based care," and "Thinking for themselves." The facts that some nurses do not cope with ethical problems and some face moral distress without knowing what to do suggest that "improvement of moral efficacy to cope with ethical problems", "proposing resolution methods", and "organizational ethics support" may be useful.

Relationships among moral distress, sense of coherence, and job satisfaction

BACKGROUND

Since moral distress affects psychological aspects of psychiatric nurses, it is an important theme. Previous studies showed relationships between moral distress and job satisfaction; however, there are few studies which investigate relationships between moral distress and other effective variables and then we highlighted relationships among these variables.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to (1) examine relationships among moral distress, sense of coherence, mental health, and job satisfaction and (2) clarify the most predictive variable to job satisfaction.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This study is a cross-sectional study. Participants were 130 psychiatric nurses in a hospital in Japan. They completed the Moral Distress Scale for Psychiatric nurses (Unethical conduct, Low staffing, and Acquiescence to patients' rights violations), the sense of coherence scale (Comprehensibility, Manageability, and Meaning), the General Health Questionnaire, and the Job Satisfaction scale. Ethical consideration: This study was approved by the ethical board of St Mary's College. Nurses participated voluntarily and were anonymous.

RESULTS

Results showed that subscales of the Moral Distress Scale for Psychiatric nurses negatively correlated to the sense of coherence and the Job Satisfaction. A multiple regression analysis showed that "Acquiescence to patients' rights violations" of the Moral Distress Scale for Psychiatric nurses and "Meaning" of the sense of coherence influenced the Job Satisfaction much more than other variables. These two variables were correlated to job satisfaction scale, and other variables without them did not significantly correlate to job satisfaction scale.

DISCUSSION

These results suggest that moral distress negatively related to sense of coherence and job satisfaction, a subscale of the Moral Distress Scale for Psychiatric nurses and that of the sense of coherence affected the job satisfaction the most.

CONCLUSION

Decreasing of acquiescence to patients' rights violations and finding meaning in nursing may improve job satisfaction.

When healthcare professionals cannot do the right thing: A systematic review of moral distress and its correlates

Moral distress occurs when professionals cannot carry out what they believe to be ethically appropriate actions. This review describes the publication trend on moral distress and explores its relationships with other constructs. A bibliometric analysis revealed that since 1984, 239 articles were published, with an increase after 2011. Most of them (71%) focused on nursing. Of the 239 articles, 17 empirical studies were systematically analyzed. Moral distress correlated with organizational environment (poor ethical climate and collaboration), professional attitudes (low work satisfaction and engagement), and psychological characteristics (low psychological empowerment and autonomy). Findings revealed that moral distress negatively affects clinicians' wellbeing and job retention. Further studies should investigate protective psychological factors to develop preventive interventions.