Nurses' moral deliberation in the child care process

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Nursing Ethics
• Maternal-Child Health

Background:

• Ethical challenges in breastfeeding support are common in nursing practice.
• Understanding nurses' moral reasoning is crucial for improving patient care.
• Previous research has not fully explored the nuances of moral deliberation in this context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the moral deliberation process of nurses confronting ethical issues related to breastfeeding.
• To identify the factors influencing nurses' decision-making in these situations.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study employing a deliberative bioethics framework.
• Data were gathered using vignette-based interviews.
• Thematic analysis was used to organize and interpret the findings.

Main Results:

• Nurses predominantly adopted intermediate courses of action when faced with ethical dilemmas.
• Extreme courses of action were also observed, indicating a range of responses.
• Decision-making patterns varied, highlighting the complexity of ethical considerations.

Conclusions:

• In extreme cases, nurses' decisions prioritized child welfare, potentially overlooking the needs of breastfeeding mothers, particularly those who are working women.
• This highlights a tension between infant well-being and maternal autonomy/socioeconomic factors.
• Further research and ethical training are needed to support balanced decision-making.