title: A Health System-wide Moral Distress Consultation Service: Development and Evaluation.
abstract: Although moral distress is now a well-recognized phenomenon among all of the healthcare professions, few evidence-based strategies have been published to address it. In morally distressing situations, the "presenting problem" may be a particular patient situation, but most often signals a deeper unit- or system-centered issue. This article describes one institution's ongoing effort to address moral distress in its providers. We discuss the development and evaluation of the Moral Distress Consultation Service, an interprofessional, unit/system-oriented approach to addressing and ameliorating moral distress.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing, Richmond, VA, USA. abhamric@vcu.edu.
authors.forename: Ann B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hamric
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Epstein
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000941:ethics*; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D009014:Morals; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Ethics consultation; Moral distress; Organizational ethics; Program evaluation