Reducing moral distress in case managers

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Ethics
• Nursing Practice
• Care Management

Background:

• Moral distress arises from ethical conflicts common in acute care settings.
• Hospital case managers, acting as advocates and coordinators, face unique ethical burdens.
• These ethical conflicts pose a significant risk for moral distress among case managers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the nature and causes of moral distress in hospital case managers.
• To identify the specific ethical conflicts and constraints faced by case managers.
• To propose mindfulness-based interventions to mitigate moral distress in this population.

Main Methods:

• The study defines moral distress as organizational, clinical, and personal ethical conflicts and constraints.
• It reviews existing theories and tools for addressing moral distress.
• It analyzes the ethical responsibilities and potential risks for case managers.

Main Results:

• Moral distress triggers and responses vary among healthcare professionals.
• Causes include the burden and frequency of ethical conflicts, leading to negative psychological outcomes.
• Hospital case management is identified as a profession at risk for moral distress due to prevalent ethical dilemmas.

Conclusions:

• Existing strategies for moderating moral distress are often inadequate for case managers.
• Mindfulness and reflective practices share similarities with themes of suffering and awareness relevant to moral distress.
• A workshop series on reflective practices is recommended to reduce negative outcomes of moral distress for hospital case managers.