J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs.  2013 Dec;22(4):307-319.

Moral Distress, Moral Sensitivity and Ethical Climate of Nurses Working in Psychiatric Wards

• Noh D
• Kim S
• Kim S

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to explore level of moral distress, moral sensitivity, and ethical climate of nurses working in psychiatric wards and identify factors that influence moral distress. Also this study was done to describe the content of moral distress.
METHODS
Data were collected through self-report questionnaires and focus group interviews. A survey was conducted with 108 psychiatric nurses and 8 volunteers were interviewed. Instruments used in this study were the Moral Distress Scale for Psychiatric Nurses, Korean version of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, and Ethical Climate Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 20.0 program and content analysis.
RESULTS
The mean score for moral distress was 3.74 and for moral sensitivity, 4.67. The significant factors influencing moral distress were clinical career in psychiatric wards, moral sensitivity, personal profit and friendship. As a result of content analysis, 3 domain of moral distress were found: moral distress situations, responses in moral distress situations, factors to overcome moral distress and resources that enable ethical nursing.
CONCLUSION
The results suggest that in the development of interventions to decrease moral distress for nurses working in psychiatric wards, factors identified as influencing moral distress and content of moral distress should be considered.

Keyword

Psychiatric nurses; Moral distress; Moral sensitivity; Ethical climate

MeSH Terms

Climate*
Focus Groups
Friends
Humans
Nursing
Surveys and Questionnaires

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