Ethical conflicts reported by Certified Nephrology Nurses (CNNs) practicing in dialysis settings

Area of Science:

• Nursing Ethics
• Bioethics
• Dialysis Care

Background:

• Ethical conflicts are prevalent in nephrology nursing.
• Certified Nephrology Nurses (CNNs) in dialysis settings face unique ethical challenges.
• Understanding these conflicts is crucial for improving patient care and nursing support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and classify ethical conflicts experienced by CNNs in dialysis settings.
• To explore demographic, educational, and practice setting factors associated with these conflicts.
• To identify the prevalence and nature of ethical conflicts in dialysis nursing.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive survey design was employed.
• Certified Nephrology Nurses (CNNs) from the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) in four eastern states and D.C. were surveyed.
• The Moral Conflict Questionnaire was used to gather data from 88 participants.

Main Results:

• The most common ethical conflicts (69%) involved decisions about initiating or discontinuing dialysis.
• Participants clearly identified the moral problems and ethical principles at play.
• Most participants reported involvement in serious ethical conflicts regarding patient care.

Conclusions:

• CNNs experience significant ethical conflicts in their practice.
• A majority of these ethical conflicts (two-thirds) were not resolved.
• Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness and utilization of existing ethical conflict resolution mechanisms.