title: Moral distress, compassion fatigue, and perceptions about medication errors in certified critical care nurses.
abstract: The primary purpose of this study was to examine the previously untested relationships between moral distress, compassion fatigue, perceptions about medication errors, and nurse characteristics in a national sample of 205 certified critical care nurses. In addition, this study included a qualitative exploration of the phenomenon of medication errors in a smaller subset of certified critical care nurses. Results revealed statistically significant correlations between moral distress, compassion fatigue, and perceptions about medication errors in this group. Implications for critical care nurses seeking to create work environments conducive to the reduction of medication errors are explored.
authors: School of Nursing at Point Loma Nazarene, University in San Diego, California, 92106, USA. jeannemaiden@pointloma.edu
authors: Jeanne
authors: J
authors: Maiden
authors: Jane M
authors: JM
authors: Georges
authors: Cynthia D
authors: CD
authors: Connelly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002055:Burnout, Professional; D003142:Communication; D003422:Critical Care / Q000523:psychology; D003625:Data Collection; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009014:Morals; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*