The moral deliberation pathway in veterinary practice: a qualitative study.
Journal
The Veterinary record
ISSN: 2042-7670
Titre abrégé: Vet Rec
Pays: England
ID NLM: 0031164
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
21 Oct 2023
21 Oct 2023
Historique:
revised:
11
06
2023
received:
03
03
2022
accepted:
13
06
2023
medline:
23
10
2023
pubmed:
17
7
2023
entrez:
16
7
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Veterinarians may face various ethical decisions and potential moral conflicts in clinical practice. The ethical decision-making process often leads to a satisfying resolution. However, when such a process is accompanied by a perceived inability to act according to a person's values, it can lead to psychological distress that characterises moral distress. Theoretical models in professions such as nursing attempt to explain the evolution of moral conflict into moral distress. In veterinary professionals, a model has been proposed to explain this pathway (the moral deliberation pathway). However, empirical data are still lacking on whether veterinary clinicians experience a moral deliberation pathway as hypothesised. Using thematic analysis, this qualitative study investigates veterinary clinicians' experiences with moral distress and aims to explain the moral deliberation pathway in these veterinarians. The results suggest that veterinarians' experiences with moral distress follow a deliberation process that can be explained by the proposed moral deliberation pathway. Experiencing a moral conflict leads to moral stress, then either to moral distress or resolution into moral comfort. Self-selection of participants and possible recollection bias may have biased the findings. The empirical data provided by this study can inform future research and intervention strategies to identify, measure and manage moral distress in the veterinary context.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Veterinarians may face various ethical decisions and potential moral conflicts in clinical practice. The ethical decision-making process often leads to a satisfying resolution. However, when such a process is accompanied by a perceived inability to act according to a person's values, it can lead to psychological distress that characterises moral distress. Theoretical models in professions such as nursing attempt to explain the evolution of moral conflict into moral distress. In veterinary professionals, a model has been proposed to explain this pathway (the moral deliberation pathway). However, empirical data are still lacking on whether veterinary clinicians experience a moral deliberation pathway as hypothesised.
METHODS
METHODS
Using thematic analysis, this qualitative study investigates veterinary clinicians' experiences with moral distress and aims to explain the moral deliberation pathway in these veterinarians.
RESULTS
RESULTS
The results suggest that veterinarians' experiences with moral distress follow a deliberation process that can be explained by the proposed moral deliberation pathway. Experiencing a moral conflict leads to moral stress, then either to moral distress or resolution into moral comfort.
LIMITATIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Self-selection of participants and possible recollection bias may have biased the findings.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
The empirical data provided by this study can inform future research and intervention strategies to identify, measure and manage moral distress in the veterinary context.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e3173Informations de copyright
© 2023 British Veterinary Association.
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