Chief Nursing Officers' Experiences With Moral Distress.
Angela S Prestia1, Rose O Sherman, Christopher Demezier
1Author Affiliations: Corporate Chief Nurse (Dr Prestia), The GEO Group, Boca Raton, Florida; and Professor of Nursing (Dr Sherman) and Nursing Student (Mr Demezier), Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton; President, Florida Nursing Students Association, Orlando.
The Journal of Nursing Administration
|January 10, 2017
Summary
Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) frequently experience moral distress and moral residue due to their leadership roles. Understanding these challenges is crucial for supporting nurse executive leaders and fostering ethical healthcare environments.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Leadership
- Healthcare Ethics
- Organizational Psychology
Background:
- Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) are expected to uphold professional values and act beneficently.
- The potential for moral distress in CNOs due to inability to act on values requires exploration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the lived experiences of moral distress and moral residue among Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs).
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study involving interviews with twenty CNOs.
- Interpretive phenomenological analysis was employed to analyze the lived experiences.
Main Results:
- Six key themes emerged: lack of psychological safety, powerlessness, maintaining moral compass, strength from networking, moral residue, and consequences.
- Moral distress is a common experience for CNOs, even when acting with moral courage.
Conclusions:
- Moral distress is prevalent among Chief Nursing Officers.
- Further research and professional dialogue are necessary to support nurse executive leaders facing moral distress.
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