Moral Distress in Community and Hospital Settings for the Care of Elderly People. A Grounded Theory Qualitative Study
<i>Background:</i> Moral distress has frequently been investigated in single healthcare settings and concerning a single type of professional. This study aimed to describe the experience of moral distress in all the types of professionals providing daily care to elderly patients and resi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/10/1307 |
| _version_ | 1797514458247987200 |
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| author | Giulia Villa Federico Pennestrì Debora Rosa Noemi Giannetta Roberta Sala Roberto Mordacci Duilio Fiorenzo Manara |
| author_facet | Giulia Villa Federico Pennestrì Debora Rosa Noemi Giannetta Roberta Sala Roberto Mordacci Duilio Fiorenzo Manara |
| author_sort | Giulia Villa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background:</i> Moral distress has frequently been investigated in single healthcare settings and concerning a single type of professional. This study aimed to describe the experience of moral distress in all the types of professionals providing daily care to elderly patients and residents. <i>Methods:</i> The Grounded Theory approach, developed by Corbin and Strauss, was used. This study included participants from hospital and nursing homes of northern Italy. Purposive and theoretical sampling was used. Between December 2020 and April 2021, semi-structured interviews were conducted. <i>Results:</i> Thirteen participants were included in the study. Four categories were derived from the data: talking and listening, care provider wellbeing, decision making, protective factors, and potential solutions. The core category identified was “sharing daily”. Interviewees confirm how hard it may be to communicate to the elderly, but at the same time, how adequate communication with the leader is a protective factor of moral distress. They also confirm how communication is key to managing or downsizing misunderstandings at all levels. Findings highlight the scarcity of operators as a fundamental trigger of moral distress. <i>Conclusions:</i> Many determinants of this phenomenon lie behind the direct control of professionals, but education can help them learn how to prevent, manage, or downsize the consequences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:31:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9742b89434114077b91afa319670fe7a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:31:55Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-9742b89434114077b91afa319670fe7a2023-11-22T18:24:57ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322021-09-01910130710.3390/healthcare9101307Moral Distress in Community and Hospital Settings for the Care of Elderly People. A Grounded Theory Qualitative StudyGiulia Villa0Federico Pennestrì1Debora Rosa2Noemi Giannetta3Roberta Sala4Roberto Mordacci5Duilio Fiorenzo Manara6Center for Nursing Research and Innovation, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, ItalyFaculty of Philosophy, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Cardiovascular, Neural and Metabolic Sciences, Istituto Auxologico Italiano-IRCCS, Piazzale Brescia 20, 20149 Milan, ItalyCenter for Nursing Research and Innovation, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, ItalyFaculty of Philosophy, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, ItalyFaculty of Philosophy, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, ItalyCenter for Nursing Research and Innovation, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milan, Italy<i>Background:</i> Moral distress has frequently been investigated in single healthcare settings and concerning a single type of professional. This study aimed to describe the experience of moral distress in all the types of professionals providing daily care to elderly patients and residents. <i>Methods:</i> The Grounded Theory approach, developed by Corbin and Strauss, was used. This study included participants from hospital and nursing homes of northern Italy. Purposive and theoretical sampling was used. Between December 2020 and April 2021, semi-structured interviews were conducted. <i>Results:</i> Thirteen participants were included in the study. Four categories were derived from the data: talking and listening, care provider wellbeing, decision making, protective factors, and potential solutions. The core category identified was “sharing daily”. Interviewees confirm how hard it may be to communicate to the elderly, but at the same time, how adequate communication with the leader is a protective factor of moral distress. They also confirm how communication is key to managing or downsizing misunderstandings at all levels. Findings highlight the scarcity of operators as a fundamental trigger of moral distress. <i>Conclusions:</i> Many determinants of this phenomenon lie behind the direct control of professionals, but education can help them learn how to prevent, manage, or downsize the consequences.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/10/1307bioethicscaregiverdecision makingelderlygrounded theoryhospital |
| spellingShingle | Giulia Villa Federico Pennestrì Debora Rosa Noemi Giannetta Roberta Sala Roberto Mordacci Duilio Fiorenzo Manara Moral Distress in Community and Hospital Settings for the Care of Elderly People. A Grounded Theory Qualitative Study Healthcare bioethics caregiver decision making elderly grounded theory hospital |
| title | Moral Distress in Community and Hospital Settings for the Care of Elderly People. A Grounded Theory Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Moral Distress in Community and Hospital Settings for the Care of Elderly People. A Grounded Theory Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Moral Distress in Community and Hospital Settings for the Care of Elderly People. A Grounded Theory Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Moral Distress in Community and Hospital Settings for the Care of Elderly People. A Grounded Theory Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Moral Distress in Community and Hospital Settings for the Care of Elderly People. A Grounded Theory Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | moral distress in community and hospital settings for the care of elderly people a grounded theory qualitative study |
| topic | bioethics caregiver decision making elderly grounded theory hospital |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/10/1307 |
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