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Moral sensitivity: some differences between nurses and physicians
K Lützén1, A Johansson, G Nordström
1Department of Nursing, Ersta-Sköndal University College, Box 4619, 116 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
Nursing Ethics
|February 28, 2001
Summary
Healthcare professionals show varying ethical sensitivity based on their specialty and gender. Psychiatrists, compared to general practitioners, demonstrated distinct moral reasoning, particularly regarding patient autonomy and the use of coercion.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Clinical Psychology
- Healthcare Professionalism
Background:
- Ethical considerations are integral to clinical practice.
- Understanding moral sensitivity among healthcare professionals is crucial for patient care.
- Previous research has explored ethical decision-making, but variations across specialties require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the moral sensitivity of nurses and physicians across different clinical settings (general medicine vs. psychiatry).
- To identify differences in ethical perceptions based on professional roles (physicians vs. nurses) and demographic factors (gender).
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study utilizing the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (MSQ), a 30-item Likert-type self-report instrument.
- The study included 113 physicians in general medicine, 665 psychiatrists, 150 nurses in general medicine, and 145 nurses in psychiatry.
- MSQ items were categorized into six theoretical dimensions: relational orientation, structuring moral meaning, expressing benevolence, modifying autonomy, experiencing moral conflict, and following rules.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in moral sensitivity were observed between healthcare professionals in general medical settings and those in psychiatry.
- Professionals in general medicine showed higher agreement with 'meaning' and 'autonomy' dimensions, but lower agreement with 'benevolence' and 'conflict'.
- Psychiatric professionals exhibited greater agreement with the use of coercion when necessary. Differences were also noted between physicians and nurses, and between genders.
Conclusions:
- Specialty area significantly influences the moral sensitivity of healthcare professionals.
- Ethical perceptions and decision-making processes differ notably between general medical and psychiatric practitioners.
- Further research is warranted to explore the implications of these variations for patient outcomes and ethical training.