Balancing Ethical Uncertainty: The Dance of Interprofessional Roles

Area of Science:

• Healthcare ethics
• Interprofessional collaboration
• Medical education

Background:

• Interprofessional (IP) education is globally recognized for enhancing healthcare quality and fostering mutual understanding among providers.
• Existing frameworks lack clear procedures for navigating moral uncertainty and conflict within IP role interactions.
• Moral distress is a significant issue in IP ethics consultations and collaborations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze secondary data from a larger study on moral distress in IP ethics consultations.
• To construct a model of IP role interaction, identifying facilitators and barriers in ethical decision-making.
• To explore how professional role boundaries influence IP interactions during patient care dilemmas.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of qualitative data.
• Basic qualitative, exploratory approach with grounded theory elements.
• Analysis of data from eleven IP participants across five disciplines.

Main Results:

• A model of IP role interaction was developed, highlighting distinct facilitating actions and barriers.
• These components were found to influence ethical decision-making in patient care.
• Uncertainty surrounding specific professional role boundaries emerged as a key factor in IP interactions.

Conclusions:

• Understanding IP role interactions is crucial for managing ethical dilemmas in patient care.
• Identifying facilitators and barriers can improve IP collaboration and reduce moral distress.
• Clarifying professional role boundaries is essential for effective interprofessional ethical decision-making.