title: Justifying coercion.
abstract: A grounded theory study of psychiatric nurses' experiences of administering medication to involuntary psychiatric patients revealed a basic social process of justifying coercion. Although the 17 nurses interviewed all reported success at avoiding the use of coercion, each had an individual approach to using the nurse-patient relationship to do this. However, all the nurses used the same process to reconcile themselves to using coercion when it became necessary. This has three stages: assessment of need; negotiation; and justifying and taking coercive action. Two critical junctures--decision to engage and impasse - determine the progression from one stage to the next. The process of justifying coercion allows a nurse to engage in behavior generally disapproved of while retaining a self-image of a 'good' nurse.
authors.affiliation: University of San Diego, CA, USA. pvuckov@calstatela.edu
authors.forename: Paula K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Vuckovich
authors.forename: Barbara M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Artinian
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002140:California; D003068:Coercion; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003657:Decision Making; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000941:ethics / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D016743:Mental Competency; D017008:Negotiating; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology