Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Moral sensitivity as a personal and work attribute of emergency care nurses: a cross-sectional study* * Paper extracted from doctoral dissertation “Sensibilidade moral das enfermeiras dos serviços de atenção às urgências”, presented to Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Enfermagem, Salvador, BA, Brazil.

Abstract

Objective:

to analyze the moral sensitivity of Brazilian emergency care nurses according to their personal and work characteristics.

Method:

this is a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study with a convenience sample. A total of 422 nurses from emergency care services in the five regions of Brazil took part. Sociodemographic and work-related information was collected, as well as the Brazilian version of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire. After approval by the Research Ethics Committee, the data was collected using a self-administered form on the Google Forms Platform, organized using Excel software and analyzed using the R language.

Results:

nurses with longer experience in emergency care services showed higher levels in the interpersonal orientation, moral conflict and moral significance dimensions, while in the professional knowledge dimension, men showed higher levels, as evidenced by items that include confidence in nursing knowledge, intuition, experience and opinion.

Conclusion:

the differences in the nurses’ moral sensitivity were due to their professional experience. It should be emphasized that valuing the sharing of intergenerational experiences in service could be a possible strategy for fostering moral competencies in the field of practice.

Descriptors:
Nursing Care; Emergencies; Emergency Nursing; Nurses; Ethics Nursing; Morals

Resumo

Objetivo:

analisar a sensibilidade moral das enfermeiras que atuam em serviços brasileiros de urgência conforme suas características pessoais e de trabalho.

Método:

pesquisa quantitativa, descritiva, transversal e com amostra por conveniência. Participaram 422 enfermeiras dos serviços de atenção à urgência das cinco regiões do território brasileiro. Foram coletadas informações sociodemográficas e laborais, e a versão brasileira do Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire. Os dados foram coletados, após aprovação no Comitê de Ética, por meio de um formulário autoaplicado na Plataforma Google Forms, sendo submetidos à organização pelo software Excel e analisados via linguagem R.

Resultados:

as enfermeiras com maior tempo de experiências nos serviços de atenção às urgências apresentaram maiores níveis nas dimensões de orientação interpessoal, conflito moral e significado moral, já na dimensão conhecimento profissional, os homens apresentaram maiores níveis, evidenciado por itens que incluem a confiança no conhecimento de enfermagem, na intuição, experiência e opinião.

Conclusão:

as distinções da sensibilidade moral das enfermeiras se deu quanto à experiência profissional. Destaca-se que valorizar o compartilhamento de vivências e experiências intergeracionais em serviço, pode ser uma possível estratégia para fomentar competências morais no campo de prática.

Descritores:
Cuidado de Enfermagem; Emergências; Enfermagem em Emergência; Enfermeiras e Enfermeiros; Ética em Enfermagem; Princípios Morais

Resumen

Objetivo:

analizar la sensibilidad moral de las enfermeras que trabajan en servicios brasileños de urgencia según sus características personales y laborales.

Método:

investigación cuantitativa, descriptiva, transversal y con muestra por conveniencia. Participaron 422 enfermeras de los servicios de atención a la urgencia de las cinco regiones del territorio brasileño. Se recopilaron información sociodemográfica y laboral, y la versión brasileña del Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire. Los datos fueron recogidos, tras la aprobación en el Comité de Ética, mediante un formulario autoaplicado en la Plataforma Google Forms y sometidos a organización por el software Excel y analizados vía lenguaje R.

Resultados:

las enfermeras con mayor tiempo de experiencias en los servicios de atención a las urgencias mostraron mayores niveles en las dimensiones orientación interpersonal, conflicto moral y significado moral; en la dimensión conocimiento profesional, los hombres mostraron mayores niveles, evidenciado por ítems que incluyen la confianza en el conocimiento de enfermería, en la intuición, experiencia y opinión.

Conclusión:

las distinciones de la sensibilidad moral de las enfermeras se dieron en cuanto a la experiencia profesional. Se destaca que valorar el compartir vivencias y experiencias intergeneracionales en servicio, puede ser una posible estrategia para fomentar competencias morales en el campo de práctica.

Descriptores:
Atención en Enfermería; Urgencias Medicas; Enfermería de Urgencia; Enfermeras y Enfermeros; Ética en Enfermería; Principios Morales

Highlights:

(1) Nurses’ understanding of moral sensitivity (MS).

(2)Moral sensitivity of emergency care nurses.

(3) Valuing the sharing of intergenerational experiences.

(4) Strategy for fostering moral competencies.

(5) Distinctions in moral sensitivity related to professional experience.


Introduction

There are situations that can interfere with nurses providing safe and qualified care in the context of emergency care services, such as the work processes and interpersonal relationships established in this care setting11. Oliveira SS, Lima AB, Santa Rosa DO, Freitas GF, Ferraz MOA. Experiences of the moral deliberation of nurses in mobile pre-hospital care. Rev Baiana Enferm. 2021;35:e38733. https://doi.org/10.18471/rbe.v35.38733
https://doi.org/10.18471/rbe.v35.38733...
. These situations may or may not reveal possible conflicts experienced by nurses with regard to their duties, responsibilities and values when providing health care. Thus, making decisions in the face of perceived moral conflicts, understood here as any event in which there is contradiction, opposition or confrontation over principles, values and attitudes22. Abbagnano N. Dicionário de Filosofia. São Paulo: Martins Fontes; 2012., requires a series of skills from these professionals.

Among the skills evoked to recognize ethically sensitive situations and resolve conflicts, moral competence is indispensable to health care practice. This is because the quality of care is related to both the clinical and moral skills of nurses33. Hakimi H, Joolaee S, Farahani MA, Rodney P, Ranjbar H. Moral neutralization: Nurses’ evolution in unethical climate workplaces. BMC Med Ethics. 2020;21(1):114. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00558-3
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00558...
.

The component of moral competence involved in the beginning of the reflective process and the recognition of morally sensitive situations is moral sensitivity (MS), which is relevant for professionals to be able to deal with the complexities of care, especially in contexts of greater vulnerability44. Ferraz MOA, Oliveira SS, Jesus IS, Azevedo GN, Dalla Nora CR, Santa Rosa DO. Moral sensitivity in nursing and interactions withcare: integrative review. J Nurs UFPE Online. 2023;17:e257493. https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.257493
https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.2...
. This sensitivity roles as an individual awakening to the moral issues involved in a context, which leads to sources of conflict being perceived and dealt with. Thus, recognizing the conflicts arising from the practice of care becomes a key element that triggers the decision-making process and without this, the quality of nursing care can be compromised55. Yasin JCM, Barlem ELD, Barlem JGT, Silveira RS, Dalmolin GL, Andrade GB. The ethical dimension of problems faced in general medicine: relationship with moral Sensitivity. Rev. Latino-Am. Enfermagem. 2020;28:e3309. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3309
https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3...
.

Since moral sensitivity is a complex phenomenon present in professional training and practice contexts, and various elements interact in its development, it is important to delve deeper into the phenomenon,paying attention to the different scenarios in which nursing operates44. Ferraz MOA, Oliveira SS, Jesus IS, Azevedo GN, Dalla Nora CR, Santa Rosa DO. Moral sensitivity in nursing and interactions withcare: integrative review. J Nurs UFPE Online. 2023;17:e257493. https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.257493
https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.2...
.

Professional practice favors the development of moral sensitivity, since it is in this context that the real dimension of ethical problems is perceived66. Tomaschewisk-Barlem JG, Schallenberger CD, Ramos-Toescher AM, Barlem ELD, Rocha LP, Castanheira JS. Strategies to develop moral sensitivity: a perspective of intensive care unit nurses. Esc Anna Nery. 2020;24(3):e20190311. https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-9465-ean-2019-0311
https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-9465-ean-20...
. Thus, nurses’ experience has been associated with the development of moral sensitivity77. Zahednezhad H, Shokrollahi N, Gheshlagh RG, Afshar PF. Does heavy mental workload affect moral sensitivity among critical care unit nursing professionals? A cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs. 2021;20(1):140. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662-8
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662...
)-(88. Ye B, Luo E, Zhang J, Chen X, Zhang J. Moral Sensitivity and Emotional Intelligence in Intensive Care Unit Nurses. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(9):5132. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095132
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095132...
. Some studies have tried to establish relationships between individual and work characteristics, such as gender and workplace, and moral sensitivity, with different conclusions about these associations77. Zahednezhad H, Shokrollahi N, Gheshlagh RG, Afshar PF. Does heavy mental workload affect moral sensitivity among critical care unit nursing professionals? A cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs. 2021;20(1):140. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662-8
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662...
),(99. Afrasiabifar A, Mosavi A, Dehbanizadeh A, Khaki S. Nurse’s caring behaviour and its correlation with moral sensitivity. J Res Nurs. 2021;26(3):252-61. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120980154
https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120980154...
)-(1010. Shirzadegan R, Hasanvand S, Mahmoodi N, Tahery N, Gorjjan Z. Investigating the moral Sensitivity of nurses in the Shahid Hospital in Khorramabad City in 2015. Ukr J Ecol [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2023 Nov 19];8(3):119-23. Avaliable from: Avaliable from: https://www.ujecology.com/articles/investigating-the-moral-sensitivity-of-nurses-in-the-shahid-rahimi-hospital-in-khorramabad-city-in-2015.pdf
https://www.ujecology.com/articles/inves...
.

In a literature review on the interaction between moral sensitivity and care, three studies addressed the moral sensitivity of nurses in primary health care and hospital units in Brazil44. Ferraz MOA, Oliveira SS, Jesus IS, Azevedo GN, Dalla Nora CR, Santa Rosa DO. Moral sensitivity in nursing and interactions withcare: integrative review. J Nurs UFPE Online. 2023;17:e257493. https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.257493
https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.2...
. There are no studies that delve into moral sensitivity in the context of Brazilian emergency departments. However, international studies have been carried out with nursing professionals in the context of emergency services, such as in Iran, where an empowerment program was promoted for nurses and in the evaluation, the impact was greater moral sensitivity in the intervention group1111. Bagherzadeh M, Jafari H, Charati JY, Shafipour V. The effect of an empowerment program on the moral sensitivity and caring behaviors of emergency nurses in Iran. Nurse Educ Practice. 2021;57:103243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103243
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.1032...
.

In the quest to deepen our knowledge of the phenomenon in the context of emergency services, given the specificities of care in this area, this study aims to analyze the moral sensitivity of nurses working in Brazilian emergency services according to their personal and work characteristics.

Method

Type of study

This is a quantitative, cross-sectional study whose report was guided by the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) verification items for observational studies.

Period

Data was collected from February to June 2022.

Population

According to a national nursing survey, there are 85,773 nurses working in Urgent and Emergency Hospital Care, UPA and SAMU throughout Brazil1212. Conselho Federal de Enfermagem. Pesquisa Perfil da Enfermagem no Brasil. Bloco do Mercado de Trabalho (Enfermeiros) [Internet]. Brasília: COFEN; c2016 [cited 2023 Nov 19]. Available from: Available from: http://www.cofen.gov.br/perfilenfermagem/blocoBr/Blocos/Bloco5/mercado-de-trab-enf.pdf
http://www.cofen.gov.br/perfilenfermagem...
. The study participants were nurses working in Brazilian emergency services.

Selection criteria

The criterion for including participants was working as a nurse in emergency care services, and those among the eligible were excluded if they refused to agree virtually to the Informed Consent Form (ICF), and if they were not working at the time of the data collection, which was presented in an exclusion question in the process of filling in the instrument.

Participants

The sample was non-probabilistic, for convenience, since the study took place during the pandemic period, when access to potential participants was restricted.

A total of 422 nurses working in Brazilian emergency services took part in the study, based on the spontaneity of the professionals in accessing and answering the instrument. There were 751 accesses to the instrument during the data collection period, 11 people did not agree with the term or did not agree to take part in the study, 319 were not working in emergency services at the time of completion, which resulted in the participants in this study.

Instruments used to collect information

The Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (MSQ-B), translated and validated in Brazil(13), was used to assess nurses’ moral sensitivity. For this study, 19 items were considered which had previously been submitted to a study to assess evidence of the validity of the internal structure, in which it showed a good internal consistency index, assessed using McDonald’s omega ωMSQ-B-19= 0.812.

The items were distributed in the following dimensions: interpersonal orientation, the motivation for social contact, perceived in nursing as attention to relationships in search of trust; moral meaning, refers to giving meaning to actions taken based on reflection and structuring meaning; experiencing moral conflict, refers to the perception of conflict; and confidence in knowledge, portrays the conviction that knowledge is necessary to deal with moral issues1313. Nora CRD, Zoboli EL, Vieira MM. Validation of a Brazilian version of the moral sensitivity questionnaire. Nurs Ethics. 2019;26(3):823-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720849
https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720849...
)-(1414. Kavurmaci M, Tan M. Determining the Moral Sensitivities of Intensive Care Nurses. Crit Care Nurs. 2019;42(3):278-84. https://doi.org/10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000270
https://doi.org/10.1097/CNQ.000000000000...
. The answers were obtained on a Likert scale from 1 (totally disagree) to 7 (totally agree).

Data collection

Data was collected online using a self-administered form on the Google Forms Platform containing the Brazilian version of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, which was disseminated on social networks to reach all five Brazilian regions.

The researchers’ network of contacts, the Regional Nursing Councils and Postgraduate Nursing Programs, contacted by the researcher in charge, who requested support on social networks, via email and/or Instagram, contributed to the dissemination of the online instrument.

Data processing and analysis

The data was tabulated in Excel software and analyzed using the R programming language (R CORE TEAM). A Permutation Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA) was carried out as the data was asymmetrical. The assumption of sample normality was investigated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and the p-value was considered significant at 0.05.

The multivariate model was then tested using the factors from the moral sensitivity questionnaire as dependent variables: a) Interpersonal Orientation; b) Professional Knowledge; c) Moral Conflict; d) Moral Meaning.

The independent variables (i.e. group delimiters) were: I) Sex (female and male); II) Position (hospital emergency, Mobile Emergency Care Service 192, Emergency Care Units and other emergency services); III) Role (direct assistance, coordination, regulation and other activity considered by the participant); IV) Hours of work (up to 30 hours, 31 to 44 hours and over 44 hours); and V) Length of experience (up to 5 years, 6 to 15 years and over 16 years).

Ethical aspects

The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Nursing School of the Federal University of Bahia, under opinion no. 5.141.402 and Certificate of Submission for Ethical Appraisal (CAAE) 53607021.2.0000.5531. The participants were informed about the objectives, benefits and risks of the research and the researcher’s contact details for any further questions or clarifications were included in the Informed Consent Form, a copy of which was sent to the e-mail address registered by each participant.

Results

Of the participants, 322 (78.7%) were female, which is why we chose to use the term nurse(s) to describe them in the study. Most of the sample worked in the hospital emergency department at the time of data collection (n= 145, 34.4%), with most of the participants working in direct patient care (n= 329, 78%), as well as having up to 5 years’ experience in the emergency department (n= 181, 42.9%), and working between 30 and 44 hours (n= 253, 60%). The other characteristics of the participants and the tests carried out are presented below (Table 1).

Table 1
Profile of nurses working in emergency services according to personal and professional characteristics (n = 422). Salvador, BA, Brazil, 2022

Initially, the normality tests were investigated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, which indicated that the distribution of the dependent variables was asymmetrical in all cases. In this way, the inferential tests that follow are configured as non-parametric alternatives for the investigation.

The multivariate model was then carried out considering 9,999 resamples. The PERMANOVA results indicated statistically significant differences only for the Length of experience [F(2)= 3.540, p = 0.032, R2= 0.016], as well as the interactions between Hours of Work and Time of Experience [F(2)= 3.126, p = 0.045, R2= 0.014], and between Sex, Role and Hours of Work [F(1)= 10.518, p = 0.002, R2= 0.024] (Table 2).

Table 2
Multivariate model of moral sensitivity (n = 422). Salvador, BA, Brazil, 2022

Table 3 shows the results of the univariate models of the instrument’s factors/dimensions.

Table 3
Univariate models by moral sensitivity dimension (n = 422). Salvador, BA, Brazil, 2022

Considering only the Interpersonal Orientation variable, there were significant differences between the variables: Length of Experience [F(2)= 4.711, p = 0.008, R2= 0.021], as well as the interactions between Sex and Position [F(3)= 3.817, p = 0.010, R2= 0.026], Position and Length of Experience [F(6)= 2.332, p = 0.033, R2= 0.032], and Sex, Position and Working Hours [F(1)= 7.927, p = 0.006, R2= 0.018].

In addition, the univariate model for the Professional Knowledge variable showed significant differences for Sex [F(1)= 4.381, p = 0.034, R2= 0.009], as well as the interactions between Sex and Position [F(3)= 3, 207, p = 0.022, R2= 0.021], Position and Length of Experience [F(6)= 2.104, p = 0.049, p = 0.028], and Hours of Work with Length of Experience [F(2)= 8.028, p < 0.001, R2= 0.035].

Subsequently, the univariate model considering Moral Conflict showed significant differences for the Time of Experience groups [F(2)= 4.350, p = 0.013, R2= 0.020], as well as the interaction between Sex, Position and Working Hours [F(2)= 13.567, p < 0.001, R2= 0.032].

Finally, the univariate model considering the Moral Meaning variable showed statistically significant differences between the Time of Experience groups [F(2)= 4.749, p = 0.008, R2= 0.021], as well as the interaction between Sex, Position, Role and Time of Experience [F(2)= 3.190, p = 0.041, R2= 0.014].

Paired comparisons were then made between the groups. Table 4 shows the paired comparisons by dimension which showed significant differences between the groups.

Table 4
Paired comparisons of the groups that maintained significant statistical differences according to the univariate model (n = 422). Salvador, BA, Brazil, 2022

The results show that people with 16 years or more experience had higher levels of Interpersonal Orientation when compared to people with up to 5 years’ experience (I-J= 0.364, p = 0.021) and between 6 and 15 years (I-J= 0.400, p = 0.021).

The paired comparisons indicated that women had lower levels of Professional Knowledge when compared to men (I-J= -0.308, p = 0.048).

Professionals with 16 or more years’ experience had higher levels of Moral Conflict when compared to professionals with up to 5 years’ experience (I-J= 0.522, p = 0.027), and professionals with between 5 and 16 years’ experience (I-J= 0.493, p = 0.024).

Nurses with 16 years’ experience or more had higher levels of Moral Meaning when compared to people with up to 5 years’ experience (I-J= 0.507, p = 0.024).

In the other variables presented in the univariate model by dimension, it was not possible to observe any other paired comparison, leading us to believe that the overall effects found for the interactions were not confirmed when comparing the groups pair by pair.

Discussion

From the analysis of the moral sensitivity of nurses working in emergency services in Brazil, some highlights were given to their personal and work characteristics. To begin with, when describing the participants, it can be seen that the distribution of the sample by gender was mostly female, similar to other contexts in which MS has been studied in nursing professionals, such as in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in Turkey77. Zahednezhad H, Shokrollahi N, Gheshlagh RG, Afshar PF. Does heavy mental workload affect moral sensitivity among critical care unit nursing professionals? A cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs. 2021;20(1):140. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662-8
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662...
, in end-of-life care in South Korea1515. Lim A, Kim S. Nurses’ ethical decision-making during end of life care in South Korea: a cross-sectional descriptive survey. BMC Med Ethics . 2021;22(1):1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-021-00665-9
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-021-00665...
and among Brazilian nurses1616. Ferreira AG, Barlem ELD, Rocha LP, Barlem JGT, Dalmolin GL, Figueira AB. Cultural adaptation and validation of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire among Brazilian nurses. Texto Contexto Enferm. 2021;30:1-12. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-265X-TCE-2019-0266
https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-265X-TCE-20...
.

This proportion differs from another study in the context of emergency care in Turkey, where a more homogeneous sample was presented between the sexes, which revealed 52.5% of women and 47.5% of men1717. Palazoglu CA, Koç Z. Ethical sensitivity, burnout, and job satisfaction in emergency nurses. Nurs Ethics . 2019;26(3):809-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720846
https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720846...
. In another study conducted in medical clinics in Iran, the proportion of women reached 96.5%1818. Amiri E, Ebrahimi H, Namdar Areshtanab H, Vahidi M, Asghari Jafarabadi M. The relationship between nurses’ moral sensitivity and Patients’ satisfaction with the care received in the medical wards. J Caring Sci. 2020;9(2):98-103. https://doi.org/10.34172/jcs2020.015
https://doi.org/10.34172/jcs2020.015...
. This may indicate that, although the profile of professionals has changed over the years, nursing is still a profession with a significant participation of women, due to the history and social issues related to the constitution of the profession.

With regard to the existence of differences of opinion on the influence of a professional’s gender on their MS, evaluating this characteristic in isolation can lead to misinterpretations. A study showing differences in moral sensitivity according to the sex of the professionals found no significant differences between men and women77. Zahednezhad H, Shokrollahi N, Gheshlagh RG, Afshar PF. Does heavy mental workload affect moral sensitivity among critical care unit nursing professionals? A cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs. 2021;20(1):140. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662-8
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662...
. However, the data presented in this study indicate a significant difference in relation to the professional knowledge dimension, which portrays confidence in nursing knowledge and the appreciation of intuitive knowledge and experience by professionals to help them make difficult decisions, with men showing higher rates.

When it comes to professional knowledge, a study of ICU nurses in the southern region of Brazil showed that the search for knowledge promotes the ability to question the facts that occur and recognize inappropriate situations in the work context in which they are inserted66. Tomaschewisk-Barlem JG, Schallenberger CD, Ramos-Toescher AM, Barlem ELD, Rocha LP, Castanheira JS. Strategies to develop moral sensitivity: a perspective of intensive care unit nurses. Esc Anna Nery. 2020;24(3):e20190311. https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-9465-ean-2019-0311
https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-9465-ean-20...
, thus being an important dimension in the development of the moral sensitivity of these professionals.

It should be pointed out that MS does not develop in the same way in all aspects of life1919. Almeida JFR. Ética e Desempenho Social das Organizaçőes: um modelo teórico de análise dos fatores culturais e contextuais. Rev Adm Contemp. 2007;11(3):105-25. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-65552007000300006
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-6555200700...
, i.e. a person may be more sensitive in certain contexts than in others, which increases the importance of experience for the development of moral sensitivity in the context of professional work. Professional experience in this study was considered in terms of the time spent working in the emergency service.

Cognitivism believes that moral principles are the result of innate or acquired knowledge, whether intuitive or demonstrative22. Abbagnano N. Dicionário de Filosofia. São Paulo: Martins Fontes; 2012.. Thus, the quality of experiences and cognition (knowledge and skills learned) develop perceptions of how actions influence others, and memories and judgments are involved in this process.

The ethical climate interferes with the development of the individual’s moral competences, so environments where ethical issues are not valued, problems are not identified and resolved, which can damage moral sensitivity, leading to a phenomenon that is recognized as moral neutralization33. Hakimi H, Joolaee S, Farahani MA, Rodney P, Ranjbar H. Moral neutralization: Nurses’ evolution in unethical climate workplaces. BMC Med Ethics. 2020;21(1):114. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00558-3
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00558...
.

This is relevant because one of the characteristics of this sensitivity is the use of professional experiences as a tool to recognize the ethical aspects involved in a given situation. Therefore, in the best conditions for moral development, the longer the time in practice, the greater the nurses’ moral competence tends to be to use skills developed over time in decision-making2020. Schallnberger CD, Tomaschewski-Barlem JG, Barlem ELD, Rocha LP, Dalmolin GL, Pereira LA. Moral sensitivity components identified among nurses from Intensive Care Units. Rev Bras Enferm. 2019;72(Suppl 1):2-8. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0202
https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0...
.

Furthermore, the findings of this study corroborate the length of experience in emergency care as the professional characteristic that stood out in the distinctions between the groups in the dimensions of MH. Thus, when it comes to the Interpersonal Orientation dimension, these findings suggest that people with 16 years’ experience or more have higher levels of this orientation when compared to people with up to 5 years’ experience.

The interpersonal orientation dimension was the one that showed the greatest agreement between nurses working in different contexts, including studies with culturally distinct populations44. Ferraz MOA, Oliveira SS, Jesus IS, Azevedo GN, Dalla Nora CR, Santa Rosa DO. Moral sensitivity in nursing and interactions withcare: integrative review. J Nurs UFPE Online. 2023;17:e257493. https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.257493
https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.2...
. This dimension corresponds to the behaviors developed by professionals in search of a relationship of trust with the patient and alternatives to meet their needs1313. Nora CRD, Zoboli EL, Vieira MM. Validation of a Brazilian version of the moral sensitivity questionnaire. Nurs Ethics. 2019;26(3):823-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720849
https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720849...
, as there is a professional concern about how their actions affect their relationship with the person under care1414. Kavurmaci M, Tan M. Determining the Moral Sensitivities of Intensive Care Nurses. Crit Care Nurs. 2019;42(3):278-84. https://doi.org/10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000270
https://doi.org/10.1097/CNQ.000000000000...
. In a study with Primary Health Care (PHC) health staff, the interpersonal relationship was identified by the participants as promoting new perceptions, which favor the development of MS44. Ferraz MOA, Oliveira SS, Jesus IS, Azevedo GN, Dalla Nora CR, Santa Rosa DO. Moral sensitivity in nursing and interactions withcare: integrative review. J Nurs UFPE Online. 2023;17:e257493. https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.257493
https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.2...
.

When relationships of trust are not established between nurses and the people they care for, they reinforce the emergence of ethical problems2121. Bremer A, Holmberg M. Ethical conflicts in patient relationships: experiences of ambulance nursing students. Nurs Ethics . 2020;27(4):946-59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020911077
https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020911077...
. Strengthening these relationships is not limited to know-how, a more technical aspect of care, but integrates dimensions of the human sphere, which are interconnected with respect, from the nurses’ recognition of the uniqueness of the person under care and demonstration that in order to practice the profession, respect for the human condition is fundamental, as well as multi-professional relationships that must be established in order to provide the best care55. Yasin JCM, Barlem ELD, Barlem JGT, Silveira RS, Dalmolin GL, Andrade GB. The ethical dimension of problems faced in general medicine: relationship with moral Sensitivity. Rev. Latino-Am. Enfermagem. 2020;28:e3309. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3309
https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3...
.

Thus, when nurses seek to know the patient as a whole, they are better able to establish a respectful relationship as perceived in emergency services2121. Bremer A, Holmberg M. Ethical conflicts in patient relationships: experiences of ambulance nursing students. Nurs Ethics . 2020;27(4):946-59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020911077
https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020911077...
. A study on the relationship between moral sensitivity and the ethical climate at work found a positive association between this sensitivity and maintaining the privacy of the person being cared for2222. Sepehrirad E, Heidarzadeh M, Asl Z, Abbasian Z, Ashtari S. The relationship between moral sensitivity, ethical climate, and job strain with patient privacy from viewpoint of operating room staffs. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2022 Dec 03];26(2). Available from: Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8132858/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article...
. They also come to recognize the needs of the people under their care, which are sometimes veiled by the dynamics of the service, so moral sensitivity provides them with the skills to recognize and deal with conflicts55. Yasin JCM, Barlem ELD, Barlem JGT, Silveira RS, Dalmolin GL, Andrade GB. The ethical dimension of problems faced in general medicine: relationship with moral Sensitivity. Rev. Latino-Am. Enfermagem. 2020;28:e3309. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3309
https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3...
.

In terms of the Moral Conflict dimension, nurses with more experience are those who perceive conflict the most. MH is a marker of moral competence, as it is involved in both recognizing and improving conflict resolution skills55. Yasin JCM, Barlem ELD, Barlem JGT, Silveira RS, Dalmolin GL, Andrade GB. The ethical dimension of problems faced in general medicine: relationship with moral Sensitivity. Rev. Latino-Am. Enfermagem. 2020;28:e3309. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3309
https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3...
. It is through moral awareness that nurses recruit their knowledge of professional ethics and become aware of possible conflicts in their work environment2020. Schallnberger CD, Tomaschewski-Barlem JG, Barlem ELD, Rocha LP, Dalmolin GL, Pereira LA. Moral sensitivity components identified among nurses from Intensive Care Units. Rev Bras Enferm. 2019;72(Suppl 1):2-8. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0202
https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0...
. Thus, when experience is reflected upon, it provides a basis for resolving similar conflicts in the future.

However, nurses sometimes encounter situations in which their professional values diverge from institutional values, or they find it difficult to deal with other colleagues and work professionals when they are faced with a patient2323. Moreira DA, Ferraz CMLC, Costa IP, Amaral JM, Lima TT, Brito MJM. Prática profissional do enfermeiro e influências sobre a sensibilidade moral. Rev Gaúcha Enferm. 2020;41:e20190080. https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-1447.2019.20190080
https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-1447.2019.2...
.

These situations reinforce the need to understand the moral significance of practice, which should not be structured in isolation according to external expectations of care, especially when these diverge from the greater good, which is the production of care. After all, the care that nursing proposes as a means of achieving the goal of the well-being of others is based on principles that guarantee respect for the person being cared for, even within the confines of the institution2424. Borges TP, Anjos KF, Ferraz MOA, Silva JMQ, Santa Rosa DO, Nascimento CL Sobrinho. Experience of nursing professionals in respect for human rights in care relations. Rev Enferm Centro-Oeste Min. 2020;10:e4052. https://doi.org/10.19175/recom.v10i0.4052
https://doi.org/10.19175/recom.v10i0.405...
, for example.

In the nurses’ moral significance dimension, there was also evidence of a relationship between this dimension and length of experience, which refers to giving meaning to the actions taken to meet the needs of the person being cared for1414. Kavurmaci M, Tan M. Determining the Moral Sensitivities of Intensive Care Nurses. Crit Care Nurs. 2019;42(3):278-84. https://doi.org/10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000270
https://doi.org/10.1097/CNQ.000000000000...
. Thus, it can be inferred that contexts in which the autonomy of the person is reduced, as can be seen in emergency services2525. Oliveira SS, Pitzer CMT, Ferraz MOA, Lírio LKS, Santa Rosa DO, Freitas KS, et al. Ethical problems in the clinical practice of mobile pre-hospital care nurses: a scoping review. Online Braz J Nurs. 2022;21:e20226644. https://doi.org/10.17665/1676-4285.20236650
https://doi.org/10.17665/1676-4285.20236...
, can lead nurses to feel more morally responsible for the care provided. As a result, there seems to be greater agreement on the moral significance of situations in which they experience conflicts, such as those in which they make decisions without the person’s participation.

The limitations of this study arise from not having a probabilistic sample, which restricts the generalization of the data. Also, due to the need to obtain evaluations in order to establish cut-off points for the instrument; and the participants’ low adherence, which may be related to restricted access to internet networks in some regions.

One of the study’s contributions is that it can provide a better understanding of the mental health of nurses working in emergency services in Brazil, by expanding the subject in this field. This understanding is relevant because it points to the need for meaningful practices and experiences to be promoted right from professional training, contributing to the development of MS in future nurses and, as a result, strengthening their decisions based on ethical, patient-centered care.

Conclusion

When analyzing the moral sensitivity of emergency nurses, integrating personal and work data in the sample studied, it was possible to identify that length of experience in the service had a higher impact on the phenomenon under study. In addition, males had higher rates of confidence in knowledge, which invites us to look more deeply into the issues of gender and professional confidence.

It should be noted that valuing the sharing of intergenerational experiences in service with professionals could be a possible strategy for fostering moral competences in the field of practice, while at the same time valuing the body of knowledge built up over time. However, due to the study’s methodological limitations, particularly the type of sampling, we suggest parsimony when it comes to generalizing the data.

References

  • 1
    Oliveira SS, Lima AB, Santa Rosa DO, Freitas GF, Ferraz MOA. Experiences of the moral deliberation of nurses in mobile pre-hospital care. Rev Baiana Enferm. 2021;35:e38733. https://doi.org/10.18471/rbe.v35.38733
    » https://doi.org/10.18471/rbe.v35.38733
  • 2
    Abbagnano N. Dicionário de Filosofia. São Paulo: Martins Fontes; 2012.
  • 3
    Hakimi H, Joolaee S, Farahani MA, Rodney P, Ranjbar H. Moral neutralization: Nurses’ evolution in unethical climate workplaces. BMC Med Ethics. 2020;21(1):114. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00558-3
    » https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-020-00558-3
  • 4
    Ferraz MOA, Oliveira SS, Jesus IS, Azevedo GN, Dalla Nora CR, Santa Rosa DO. Moral sensitivity in nursing and interactions withcare: integrative review. J Nurs UFPE Online. 2023;17:e257493. https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.257493
    » https://doi.org/10.5205/1981-8963.2023.257493
  • 5
    Yasin JCM, Barlem ELD, Barlem JGT, Silveira RS, Dalmolin GL, Andrade GB. The ethical dimension of problems faced in general medicine: relationship with moral Sensitivity. Rev. Latino-Am. Enfermagem. 2020;28:e3309. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3309
    » https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.4033.3309
  • 6
    Tomaschewisk-Barlem JG, Schallenberger CD, Ramos-Toescher AM, Barlem ELD, Rocha LP, Castanheira JS. Strategies to develop moral sensitivity: a perspective of intensive care unit nurses. Esc Anna Nery. 2020;24(3):e20190311. https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-9465-ean-2019-0311
    » https://doi.org/10.1590/2177-9465-ean-2019-0311
  • 7
    Zahednezhad H, Shokrollahi N, Gheshlagh RG, Afshar PF. Does heavy mental workload affect moral sensitivity among critical care unit nursing professionals? A cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs. 2021;20(1):140. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662-8
    » https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00662-8
  • 8
    Ye B, Luo E, Zhang J, Chen X, Zhang J. Moral Sensitivity and Emotional Intelligence in Intensive Care Unit Nurses. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(9):5132. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095132
    » https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095132
  • 9
    Afrasiabifar A, Mosavi A, Dehbanizadeh A, Khaki S. Nurse’s caring behaviour and its correlation with moral sensitivity. J Res Nurs. 2021;26(3):252-61. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120980154
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120980154
  • 10
    Shirzadegan R, Hasanvand S, Mahmoodi N, Tahery N, Gorjjan Z. Investigating the moral Sensitivity of nurses in the Shahid Hospital in Khorramabad City in 2015. Ukr J Ecol [Internet]. 2018 [cited 2023 Nov 19];8(3):119-23. Avaliable from: Avaliable from: https://www.ujecology.com/articles/investigating-the-moral-sensitivity-of-nurses-in-the-shahid-rahimi-hospital-in-khorramabad-city-in-2015.pdf
    » https://www.ujecology.com/articles/investigating-the-moral-sensitivity-of-nurses-in-the-shahid-rahimi-hospital-in-khorramabad-city-in-2015.pdf
  • 11
    Bagherzadeh M, Jafari H, Charati JY, Shafipour V. The effect of an empowerment program on the moral sensitivity and caring behaviors of emergency nurses in Iran. Nurse Educ Practice. 2021;57:103243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103243
    » https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103243
  • 12
    Conselho Federal de Enfermagem. Pesquisa Perfil da Enfermagem no Brasil. Bloco do Mercado de Trabalho (Enfermeiros) [Internet]. Brasília: COFEN; c2016 [cited 2023 Nov 19]. Available from: Available from: http://www.cofen.gov.br/perfilenfermagem/blocoBr/Blocos/Bloco5/mercado-de-trab-enf.pdf
    » http://www.cofen.gov.br/perfilenfermagem/blocoBr/Blocos/Bloco5/mercado-de-trab-enf.pdf
  • 13
    Nora CRD, Zoboli EL, Vieira MM. Validation of a Brazilian version of the moral sensitivity questionnaire. Nurs Ethics. 2019;26(3):823-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720849
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720849
  • 14
    Kavurmaci M, Tan M. Determining the Moral Sensitivities of Intensive Care Nurses. Crit Care Nurs. 2019;42(3):278-84. https://doi.org/10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000270
    » https://doi.org/10.1097/CNQ.0000000000000270
  • 15
    Lim A, Kim S. Nurses’ ethical decision-making during end of life care in South Korea: a cross-sectional descriptive survey. BMC Med Ethics . 2021;22(1):1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-021-00665-9
    » https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-021-00665-9
  • 16
    Ferreira AG, Barlem ELD, Rocha LP, Barlem JGT, Dalmolin GL, Figueira AB. Cultural adaptation and validation of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire among Brazilian nurses. Texto Contexto Enferm. 2021;30:1-12. https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-265X-TCE-2019-0266
    » https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-265X-TCE-2019-0266
  • 17
    Palazoglu CA, Koç Z. Ethical sensitivity, burnout, and job satisfaction in emergency nurses. Nurs Ethics . 2019;26(3):809-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720846
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017720846
  • 18
    Amiri E, Ebrahimi H, Namdar Areshtanab H, Vahidi M, Asghari Jafarabadi M. The relationship between nurses’ moral sensitivity and Patients’ satisfaction with the care received in the medical wards. J Caring Sci. 2020;9(2):98-103. https://doi.org/10.34172/jcs2020.015
    » https://doi.org/10.34172/jcs2020.015
  • 19
    Almeida JFR. Ética e Desempenho Social das Organizaçőes: um modelo teórico de análise dos fatores culturais e contextuais. Rev Adm Contemp. 2007;11(3):105-25. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-65552007000300006
    » https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-65552007000300006
  • 20
    Schallnberger CD, Tomaschewski-Barlem JG, Barlem ELD, Rocha LP, Dalmolin GL, Pereira LA. Moral sensitivity components identified among nurses from Intensive Care Units. Rev Bras Enferm. 2019;72(Suppl 1):2-8. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0202
    » https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0202
  • 21
    Bremer A, Holmberg M. Ethical conflicts in patient relationships: experiences of ambulance nursing students. Nurs Ethics . 2020;27(4):946-59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020911077
    » https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020911077
  • 22
    Sepehrirad E, Heidarzadeh M, Asl Z, Abbasian Z, Ashtari S. The relationship between moral sensitivity, ethical climate, and job strain with patient privacy from viewpoint of operating room staffs. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2022 Dec 03];26(2). Available from: Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8132858/
    » https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8132858/
  • 23
    Moreira DA, Ferraz CMLC, Costa IP, Amaral JM, Lima TT, Brito MJM. Prática profissional do enfermeiro e influências sobre a sensibilidade moral. Rev Gaúcha Enferm. 2020;41:e20190080. https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-1447.2019.20190080
    » https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-1447.2019.20190080
  • 24
    Borges TP, Anjos KF, Ferraz MOA, Silva JMQ, Santa Rosa DO, Nascimento CL Sobrinho. Experience of nursing professionals in respect for human rights in care relations. Rev Enferm Centro-Oeste Min. 2020;10:e4052. https://doi.org/10.19175/recom.v10i0.4052
    » https://doi.org/10.19175/recom.v10i0.4052
  • 25
    Oliveira SS, Pitzer CMT, Ferraz MOA, Lírio LKS, Santa Rosa DO, Freitas KS, et al. Ethical problems in the clinical practice of mobile pre-hospital care nurses: a scoping review. Online Braz J Nurs. 2022;21:e20226644. https://doi.org/10.17665/1676-4285.20236650
    » https://doi.org/10.17665/1676-4285.20236650
  • *
    Paper extracted from doctoral dissertation “Sensibilidade moral das enfermeiras dos serviços de atenção às urgências”, presented to Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Enfermagem, Salvador, BA, Brazil.

Edited by

Associate Editor:

Rosalina Aparecida Partezani Rodrigues

Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    02 Sept 2024
  • Date of issue
    2024

History

  • Received
    19 Nov 2023
  • Accepted
    29 Apr 2024
Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto / Universidade de São Paulo Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-902 Ribeirão Preto SP Brazil, Tel.: +55 (16) 3315-3451 / 3315-4407 - Ribeirão Preto - SP - Brazil
E-mail: rlae@eerp.usp.br