Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2025
14:32
Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care
Published on: February 16, 2011
23.6K
Nurses' justifications for morally courageous acts in ethical conflicts: A narrative inquiry
Elina Pajakoski1, Helena Leino-Kilpi1, Minna Stolt1
1University of Turku.
Nursing Ethics
|September 26, 2024
Summary
Nurses
Area of Science:
- Nursing Ethics
- Moral Psychology
Background:
- Moral courage involves acting on values in ethical conflicts despite risks.
- Nurses' justifications for moral courage are key to their ethical decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore registered nurses' justifications for their decisions to act (or not act) with moral courage in ethical conflicts.
- To understand the factors influencing nurses' moral courage in practice.
Main Methods:
- A qualitative narrative inquiry using a holistic content analysis approach.
- Conducted in-depth interviews with 14 registered nurses across various Finnish healthcare settings.
Main Results:
- Nurses required moral courage in conflicts involving patients and interprofessional dynamics.
- Justifications for moral courage were based on individual responsibility, professional ethics, and emotions.
- Acts of moral courage included initiating discussions and formal reporting; justifications varied individually, contextually, and organizationally.
Conclusions:
- Nurses' decision-making in ethical conflicts is complex, influencing whether moral courage is enacted.
- Findings can guide the development of strategies to enhance nurses' moral courage and explore its links to moral resilience.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Ethical Dilemmas I
857
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.
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
857
01:29Nursing Code of Ethics
2.2K
The Nursing Code of Ethics sets the ethical benchmark for the profession, and guides nurses in ethical analysis and decision making at the societal, organizational, and clinical levels. The code encompasses showing compassion and respect for the patient, their families, and communities in all circumstances while committing to providing patient-centered care. In addition, the code states that nurses must advocate for the patient by defending a cause or recommendation to protect their rights,...
2.2K
01:27Ethical Issues
870
Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
870
01:27Nursing Ethical Principles II
932
Ethical principles are essential in guiding nurses to fulfill their responsibilities, focusing on the quality of nursing care and decision-making. These principles, including autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, shape the ethical framework within healthcare settings.
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's...
Consider the following scenario, which illustrates how these principles are applied in the care of Mr. John, a fifty-year-old teacher diagnosed with metastatic liver cancer.
Initially, Mr. John's...
932
01:22Nursing Ethical Principles I
1.2K
Ethical principles serve as the moral compass in the longstanding tradition of nursing, guiding healthcare professionals in their interactions with patients and families. These principles, namely autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity, provide a robust framework for navigating the ethical complexities of daily nursing practice.
Autonomy
Autonomy underscores the significance of a patient's self-determination and freedom from external control. In healthcare, respecting...
Autonomy
Autonomy underscores the significance of a patient's self-determination and freedom from external control. In healthcare, respecting...
1.2K
01:25Ethical Standards I
783
The American Nurses Association (ANA) created and implemented the first nationally accepted Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. The Code of Ethics is a living document regularly updated by the ANA and establishes an ethical standard that is non-negotiable for nurses in all roles and settings.
The Code of Ethics provisions outline the nurse's duty to the patient, the healthcare team, the profession, and society. The Code's fundamental principles include advocacy,...
The Code of Ethics provisions outline the nurse's duty to the patient, the healthcare team, the profession, and society. The Code's fundamental principles include advocacy,...
783