The role of nurses and needs for clinical ethics support in healthcare setting

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26463222
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fundamental nursing
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: MIYAWAKI Mihoko 慶應義塾大学, 看護医療学部(藤沢), 教授 (10263493)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 宮林 郁子 福岡大学, 医学部, 教授 (40294334) ; 酒見 隆信 国際医療福祉大学, 福岡保健医療学部, 教授 (30150410) ; 平野 蘭子 慶應義塾大学, 看護医療学部(藤沢), 助教 (40513271)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 臨床倫理 / 看護師の役割 / 倫理的問題 / 倫理支援システム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Nurses are expected to act as patient advocates but they face a variety of ethical issues in daily clinical practice. The present study was conducted to illustrate clearly the role of nurses and needs for clinical ethics support in healthcare setting.
Qualitative research was conducted using semi-structured interviews. As a result, three themes were identified of the role of nurses for clinical ethics: respecting the intentions of patients, supporting patients to express their own ideas, values and feelings, sharing information, and adjust their own ethical value in health care team. Also, three themes were identified of nurses needs for ethical support: timely communication about ethical issues with peer professional colleagues, clinical ethics consultation service to assist the front line staff, and preventive ethical conflict through continuing education. Nurses require the resources to implement structures and programs that support ethics.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学