A study of nurses' ethical climate perceptions: Compromising in an uncompromising environment

Area of Science:

• Nursing Ethics
• Healthcare Management
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Ethical practice is fundamental to nursing, influenced by the workplace ethical climate.
• Nurse workplace ethical climate is increasingly recognized as a factor in moral distress.
• This study is the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and describe the workplace ethical climate as perceived by registered nurses.
• Focus on nurses working in a medical ward within a New Zealand hospital.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study design.
• Data collected through two focus group interviews with seven registered nurses.
• Inductive thematic data analysis employed.

Main Results:

• Three dominant themes shaped the ethical climate: staffing levels, patient throughput, and manager attitudes.
• Staffing and nurse-manager dynamics align with previous research.
• Patient throughput emerged as a unique detrimental factor impacting ethical practice.

Conclusions:

• Perceived organizational priorities of budget and patient throughput, not patient safety, lead to moral distress.
• Patient throughput significantly impacts nurses' ethical practice in this New Zealand context.
• Findings highlight the need to address systemic issues affecting nurse ethical practice.