The Ethical Challenges Faced by Nurses Providing Care to Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Background: Nurses most frequently face ethical challenges due to their direct contact with patients. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the ethical challenges faced by nurses who provided care to patients with COVID-19.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using conventiona...

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Main Authors: Fereshteh Ghaljaei, Majid Reza Akbarizadeh, Mahin Naderifar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Kerman University of Medical Sciences 2024-09-01
Series:Journal of Qualitative Research in Health Sciences
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Online Access:https://jqr1.kmu.ac.ir/article_92545_8c2d4fe7bc57dfc7d13e1637f1574724.pdf
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author Fereshteh Ghaljaei
Majid Reza Akbarizadeh
Mahin Naderifar
author_facet Fereshteh Ghaljaei
Majid Reza Akbarizadeh
Mahin Naderifar
author_sort Fereshteh Ghaljaei
collection DOAJ
description Background: Nurses most frequently face ethical challenges due to their direct contact with patients. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the ethical challenges faced by nurses who provided care to patients with COVID-19.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis. A total of 13 nurses who were selected through purposive sampling participated in the study. Data were collected via in-depth and semi-structured interviews until data saturation from June to late November 2021. Data were analyzed simultaneously with data collection using qualitative content analysis based on the steps proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Besides, data accuracy and robustness were checked, and ethical standards were followed.Results: Data analysis led to the identification of two main themes including threatening adherence to professional obligations and experiencing moral distress in patient care.Conclusion: Based on the findings, nurses mentioned a large number of ethical challenges such as the risk of injustice and loss of responsibility in providing care, decision conflicts, weakening ethical concepts such as patience and kindness, conflict between professional obligations and personal commitments, and the lack of attention to metaphysical beliefs. The results of this study highlighted the importance of educational planning, psychological and economic support, gratitude and empathy shown by authorities, providing security in the workplace, and developing face-to-face psychological interventions based on nursing needs.
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spelling doaj-art-d03177fe40e741efbe701be8c926bb6f2025-08-20T03:02:20ZengKerman University of Medical SciencesJournal of Qualitative Research in Health Sciences2645-61092024-09-0113315115610.34172/jqr.2024.2292545The Ethical Challenges Faced by Nurses Providing Care to Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Content AnalysisFereshteh Ghaljaei0Majid Reza Akbarizadeh1Mahin Naderifar2Department of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Community Nursing Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IranDepartment of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Amir al Momenin Hospital, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, IranDepartment of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Zabol University of Medical Science, Zabol, IranBackground: Nurses most frequently face ethical challenges due to their direct contact with patients. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the ethical challenges faced by nurses who provided care to patients with COVID-19.Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using conventional content analysis. A total of 13 nurses who were selected through purposive sampling participated in the study. Data were collected via in-depth and semi-structured interviews until data saturation from June to late November 2021. Data were analyzed simultaneously with data collection using qualitative content analysis based on the steps proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Besides, data accuracy and robustness were checked, and ethical standards were followed.Results: Data analysis led to the identification of two main themes including threatening adherence to professional obligations and experiencing moral distress in patient care.Conclusion: Based on the findings, nurses mentioned a large number of ethical challenges such as the risk of injustice and loss of responsibility in providing care, decision conflicts, weakening ethical concepts such as patience and kindness, conflict between professional obligations and personal commitments, and the lack of attention to metaphysical beliefs. The results of this study highlighted the importance of educational planning, psychological and economic support, gratitude and empathy shown by authorities, providing security in the workplace, and developing face-to-face psychological interventions based on nursing needs.https://jqr1.kmu.ac.ir/article_92545_8c2d4fe7bc57dfc7d13e1637f1574724.pdfethical challengescovid-19nursesqualitative researchcontent analysis
spellingShingle Fereshteh Ghaljaei
Majid Reza Akbarizadeh
Mahin Naderifar
The Ethical Challenges Faced by Nurses Providing Care to Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Content Analysis
Journal of Qualitative Research in Health Sciences
ethical challenges
covid-19
nurses
qualitative research
content analysis
title The Ethical Challenges Faced by Nurses Providing Care to Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Content Analysis
title_full The Ethical Challenges Faced by Nurses Providing Care to Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Content Analysis
title_fullStr The Ethical Challenges Faced by Nurses Providing Care to Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Content Analysis
title_full_unstemmed The Ethical Challenges Faced by Nurses Providing Care to Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Content Analysis
title_short The Ethical Challenges Faced by Nurses Providing Care to Patients with COVID-19: A Qualitative Content Analysis
title_sort ethical challenges faced by nurses providing care to patients with covid 19 a qualitative content analysis
topic ethical challenges
covid-19
nurses
qualitative research
content analysis
url https://jqr1.kmu.ac.ir/article_92545_8c2d4fe7bc57dfc7d13e1637f1574724.pdf
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