The purpose of this research was to explore the process used by mental health
nurses working with adolescents to ameliorate the experience of moral distress. Using
grounded theory methodology, a substantive theory was developed to explain the process.
All the incidents that lead to the experience of moral distress were related to safety and
resulted in the nurse asking themselves the question, “Is this the best I can do?”
Engaging in dialogue was the primary means nurses used to work through the experience
of moral distress. Engaging in dialogue was an ongoing process and nurses sought out
dialogue with a variety of people as they tried to make sense of their experience.
Participants identified qualities of dialogue that were helpful or unhelpful as they sought
to resolve their moral distress. Participants who had a positive experience of dialogue
were able to answer the question, and continue working with adolescents with a renewed
focus on the therapeutic relationship. Participants who have a negative experience of
dialogue are unable to answer the question and either leave the unit or agency, or talk
about leaving. / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/3607 |
| Date | 17 October 2011 |
| Creators | Musto, Lynn Corinne |
| Contributors | Pauly, Bernadette M., Schreiber, Rita Sara |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
Page generated in 0.0027 seconds