Moral distress has been described as a condition with frustration, guilt, anger and as one reason for health care professionals to leave the profession. Ethics communication in groups has been showed to work as support for health care professionals in ethically difficult situations and further work as a tool to improve the ethical climate and prevent moral distress. Our research group has developed the "one to five-step method" for interprofessional ethical communication in groups. The overall aim of this project: is to implement and evaluate a method for organized interprofessional communication about ethical issues in healthcare.
Ethically difficult situations are a part of the everyday clinical practice for health care professionals and concerns difficult judgements, prioritization and crucial decisions. Being unable or prevented to act according to one's moral conviction for what is good and right care may increase the risk for health care professionals to experience moral distress. Moral distress has been described as a condition with frustration, guilt, anger and as one reason for health care professionals to leave the profession. Ethics communication in groups has been showed to work as support for health care professionals in ethically difficult situations and further work as a tool to improve the ethical climate and prevent moral distress. Our research group has developed the "one to five-step method" for interprofessional ethical communication in groups. The method is a stepwise support for facilitating ethics communication in clinical practice when the situations occurs. The overall aim of this project: is to implement and evaluate a method for organized interprofessional communication about ethical issues in healthcare. Significance: The study can generate knowledge about ethics communication in groups in line with the " one to five step method", reduce moral distress, create improved ethical climate for healthcare professionals and in turn open up prerequisites for good care.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
100
Healthcare professionals working as "ethical representatives" at the current ward (n=5) have recently gone through a basic ethics program. They will continue by going through an education program for facilitating ethics communication in group, in line with "the one to five-step method" The education program has a theoretical and practical approach, which includes the theoretical base of the ethical communication in groups and practicing "the one to five method" Thereafter, each "ethical representative" will facilitate interprofessional sessions at a clinical ward, once a month, for six months at their workplace. Gathering meetings for feedback will be offered for the "ethical representatives" once a month.
Margareta Brännström
Skellefteå, Umeå Universitet, Sweden
RECRUITINGUmeå university
Umeå, Umeå Universitet, Sweden
RECRUITINGmoral distress meausered by using the Meausure of Moral Distress for Health care Professionals (MMD-HP) and the Moral Distress Thermometer
primary outcome
Time frame: Change from Baseline moral distress at 6 months
ethical climate meausered by the Swedish ethical climate questionnaire (SwECQ)
secondary outcome
Time frame: Change from Baseline ethical climate at 6 months
experiences
interviews of the interventiongroup
Time frame: at 6 month
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.