"This survey uncovers the ethical issues and constraints affecting nurses.
"It shows moral distress is a reality nurses are struggling with - and they are really struggling. Stories of burnout and leaving not just a given position but nursing itself must be taken seriously."
Nurses were seen as experiencing moral distress when internal or external constraints clashed with what they believed to be ethically appropriate actions.
The five key areas where nurses experienced moral distress were:
• Concerns they were not delivering good care due to pressures from management to reduce costs.
• Watching patient care suffer because of a lack of continuity in who was providing treatment.
• Working with other professionals who were not competent enough to provide the care needed.
• Carrying out physician's orders for what was considered to be unnecessary tests and treatments.
• Carrying out extensive life-saving actions when the nurse thought they were unnecessarily prolonging the dying process.
Experiencing any of those five situations could lead nurses to consider quitting, Dr Woods said.
They could lead to feelings of depression, burnout and stress, he said.
"These occur more frequently - and often with more devastating effects - than perhaps may have otherwise been anticipated."
The research conducted earlier this year surveyed 412 nurses from around New Zealand. Results were similar to overseas studies.
- Herald Online
