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Published on: February 16, 2011
Empowering nurses to participate in ethical decision-making at the bedside
1Penn State University School of Nursing, Hershey, PA 17033, USA. cbicking@hmc.psu.edu
Abstract:
Nurses at the bedside have widely varied educational backgrounds. Most bedside nurses have insufficient knowledge in the area of ethical decision-making to feel confident in their ability to participate in ethical decision-making along with the health care team. Continuing education programs for staff nurses should focus on ethical decision-making to empower bedside nurses to participate. The effect of a successful continuing education program in ethics could lead to improved relationships among health care professionals, improved communication with patients and families, and reduced stress-related burnout caused by ethical dilemmas. This article describes a successful continuing education program designed to improve knowledge of ethics and confidence in ethical decision-making that can be adapted for any nursing specialty.
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