Stories from the operating room: moral dilemmas for nurses.
This article explores stories related by perioperative nurses when asked to describe ethical judgements and subsequent actions that affected patient outcomes. A total of 214 patient care situations were analysed for moral actions taken and moral outcomes achieved in the perioperative arena. Content analysis of the patient care situations revealed a wide variety of ethical issues. Concerns about informed consent and quality of care were the most frequently identified issues. Respondents reported that 7% of patients underwent unwanted procedures and that positive moral outcomes were achieved in 65% of situations. It is of concern that, despite the fact that more than two-thirds (69%) of the respondents reported undergoing ethics education, only 27% could relate a story of an ethical situation.
Killen
Aileen R
AR
Perioperative Services, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, USA. killena@mskcc.org
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002605:Character; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D016294:Models, Nursing; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009014:Morals; D009042:Motivation; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D009871:Operating Room Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States