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Ethical dilemmas in nursing are of utmost importance, as they often arise from the tension between adhering to core ethical principles and the practical realities of healthcare delivery. These dilemmas require nurses to navigate complex situations where competing ethical considerations pull them in different directions.
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Professional responsibility, nurses, and conscientious objection: A framework for ethical evaluation.

Pamela J Grace1, Elizabeth Peter2, Vicki D Lachman3

  • 1Boston College, William F. Connell School of Nursing, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.

Nursing Ethics
|July 8, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Nurses may refuse patient care based on conscientious objections (CO), but this can disrupt care. A new ethical framework helps evaluate the authenticity of CO claims, balancing nurse integrity with patient needs.

Keywords:
Conscientious objectionethical decision making frameworkethical responsibilityinternational council of nursing’s code of ethicsrest’s four component modelself-reflection

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Area of Science:

  • Nursing Ethics
  • Bioethics
  • Moral Psychology

Background:

  • Conscientious objections (CO) present ethical dilemmas in nursing, potentially disrupting patient care and team responsibilities.
  • Nurses possess a right and responsibility to object to interventions conflicting with their moral integrity.
  • Balancing patient care risks and ethical responsibilities is central to conscientious objection in healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the ethical challenges posed by conscientious objections in nursing.
  • To propose a nonlinear framework for evaluating the authenticity of conscientious objection claims.
  • To provide guidance for nurses, ethicists, and educators in managing conscientious objections.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesized a framework using Rest's Four Component Model of moral reasoning.
  • Integrated tenets from the International Council of Nursing's (ICN) Code of Ethics for Nurses.
  • Incorporated insights from nursing ethics and broader ethics literature.

Main Results:

  • The proposed framework facilitates evaluation of the consequences of conscientious objections for all parties involved.
  • It offers a structured approach to assessing the validity and impact of a nurse's conscientious objection.
  • The framework aids in developing ethical and reasonable plans of action for conscientious objection cases.

Conclusions:

  • A nonlinear framework can enhance the ethical evaluation of conscientious objections in nursing.
  • This framework supports nurse educators in preparing students for ethical practice.
  • Clarifying the basis of conscience is crucial for ethically permissible objections to actions.