Lived experiences toward moral distress among long-term care hospital nurses: A phenomenological approach / 한국간호교육학회지

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to explore the subjective experience of moral distress among nurses working in long-term care hospitals. @*Methods@#A phenomenological approach was used for the study. Data were collected from May to July, 2019 using open-ended questions during in-depth interviews. Participants were nurses working in long-term care hospitals and had reported experiences of moral distress. Nine nurses participated in this study. @*Results@#Three themes emerged from the analysis using Colaizzi’s method: (1) confusion and distress about the meaning of care, (2) a feeling of helplessness caused by connivance, (3) enduring in the organization. @*Conclusion@#Sufficient labor supply, environmental improvements, programs for improving interpersonal skills, education and counseling on end-of-life care, and recognition improvement about long-term care hospitals are suggested to reduce the moral distress of long-term care hospital nurses.