Developing and Testing Digital Ethical Reflection in Long-Term Care: Nurses' Experiences

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Ethics
• Nursing Informatics
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Nurses in long-term care encounter frequent ethical challenges, leading to moral distress and impacting patient care quality.
• Existing support systems for nurses facing ethical dilemmas are insufficient, highlighting a need for innovative solutions.
• Research on the design and benefits of technological tools for ethics support in nursing is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of a digital ethical reflection tool to support nurses' ethics work in long-term care settings.
• To develop and test a digital tool aimed at increasing ethical awareness and providing support for nurses dealing with moral issues.

Main Methods:

• A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed, involving the development and testing of a digital ethical reflection tool.
• Nurses in nursing homes and home care digitally reported ethical challenges over a 6-week period.
• Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics for reported challenges and reflexive thematic analysis for focus group interviews.

Main Results:

• 17 nurses submitted 223 reports, with 24.8% detailing ethically difficult situations.
• The digital tool was perceived as practical, enhancing nurses' awareness of morally charged situations.
• Nurses recognized a lack of meaningful dialogue and recognition from management regarding ethical concerns.

Conclusions:

• Digital ethical reflection can enhance nurses' awareness and provide a basis for departmental ethical discussions.
• The developed digital tool shows potential as a valuable resource for managers supporting nurses with ethical challenges in long-term care.
• Integrating digital tools can improve the support structure for nurses navigating complex ethical landscapes in patient care.