{"title":"Nursing home caregivers' views on dignity in restraining disabled residents.","authors":"Yiqian Tang, Chenxi Zhu, Lilu Wang, Lianlian Zhu, Yechun Gu, Hongbo Xu","doi":"10.1177/09697330251346428","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330251346428","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundCaregivers in nursing homes are crucial in looking after disabled older adults. They often resort to physical restraints for various reasons, including safety concerns and resource limitations. However, this practice can impact the dignity of these individuals. In China, current research has rarely explored this issue at the caregiver level, leaving a critical gap in our understanding of this complex situation.Research objectivesThe purpose was to understand Chinese nursing home caregivers' perceptions and practices of dignity maintenance for physically restrained disabled older adults, as well as to provide a reference point for dignity maintenance.Research designThis is a qualitative descriptive study in which data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi's 7-step method.Participants and research contextBetween October and December 2024, 13 caregivers from three nursing homes in Wenzhou City, China, were selected for the study using purposive sampling.Ethical considerationsThe ethics committee approved the study design on December 4, 2020 (approval number 2020-126).ResultsA total of three main themes and 11 sub-themes were distilled. The main themes included \"Diverse perspectives on dignity maintenance in physical restraint,\" \"The realistic dilemma of dignity maintenance practices in physical restraint,\" and \"The practice of physical restraint based on the principle of whole-person care.\"ConclusionsNursing home caregivers have multiple views of dignity maintenance for physically restrained disabled older adults, and there are numerous barriers to maintaining dignity. Measures should be taken to optimize dignity maintenance practices, improve the quality of older adult care services, maintain the dignity and rights of disabled older persons, reduce the pressure on caregivers, and enhance occupational satisfaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"9697330251346428"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144175145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nursing EthicsPub Date : 2025-05-28DOI: 10.1177/09697330251346080
Ting Zhang, Dan Su, Xiaotong Ding, Qiang Wei
{"title":"Instrument choice for assessing ethical sensitivity in nursing students.","authors":"Ting Zhang, Dan Su, Xiaotong Ding, Qiang Wei","doi":"10.1177/09697330251346080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330251346080","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundComplex health care environments present moral dilemmas for clinical nurses and nursing students that challenge their professional development as well as their physical and mental health. Ethical sensitivity (ES) is seen as a prerequisite that enables clinical nurses to make appropriate ethical decisions when facing a dilemma; therefore, ES should be a development focus for nursing students.PurposeThe aim of this study is to conduct a systematic evaluation of existing instruments to assess moral sensitivity (MS) or ES in nursing students. We subsequently provide recommendations of the proper research tools that can be used in future studies based on our study results.MethodsA systematic literature search across nine databases from their inception to November 17, 2024 was first conducted. Two researchers then independently screened these studies, which were published in English or Chinese. The studies evaluated were designed to develop or validate a scale used to measure ES or MS among nursing students. The COnsensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines were followed to evaluate both the methodological quality and the quality of the psychometric properties of the identified tools. Finally, data synthesis was performed.ResultsWe ultimately included 13 assessment tools used for the assessment of ES or MS among nursing students. Only one tool was rated A, and four tools were rated C and not recommended for use. The remaining tools were rated B, and they have potential for assessing MS and ES among nursing students.ConclusionA majority of the tools included in this study still require further revision to enhance their quality prior to their effective use in MS and ES assessments. The COSMIN guidelines indicated that future studies should describe the development and validation of measurement tools in detail and improve their current data analysis methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"9697330251346080"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nursing EthicsPub Date : 2025-05-27DOI: 10.1177/09697330251346063
Simin Haghdoost, Simin Montazeri, Mina Iravani
{"title":"Respectful care of newborns after childbirth globally: a systematic review.","authors":"Simin Haghdoost, Simin Montazeri, Mina Iravani","doi":"10.1177/09697330251346063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330251346063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundEnsuring that mothers and newborns receive respectful care is crucial to providing high-quality care. Our research aimed to describe the care received by neonates and identify risk variables for Disrespect and Abuse (D&A) in neonates.MethodsWe carried out a comprehensive analysis of published, quantitative research on D&A on newborns. The databases of SCOPUS, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, ProQuest, and Cochrane Library were thoroughly searched for articles. The quality of the research was assessed using the STROBE measures. Studies meeting certain requirements were eligible for inclusion: they had to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors associated with the mistreatment of newborns after childbirth; finally, 525 potentially relevant articles were carefully reviewed, and only 10 were ultimately selected.ResultSix prospective cohort studies, one retrospective cohort study, two cross-sectional studies, and one mixed-method research comprised the 10 papers that made up this review. In included studies infants had experienced at least one D&A episode. We have divided them into two categories: indicators of disrespect and factors affecting disrespect. Indicators of disrespect were the major contributing factor to D&A. According to this review, some maternal and newborn factors contributed to the D&A of newborns: preterm births, female deliveries assisted by an instrument, rural births, mothers living in rural areas, births with parity greater than 2, and unmarried birth mothers.ConclusionHealth systems must be confident that no neonate is denied medical care due to family socio-economic and cultural factors. This study can inform future research around interventions for improving policy and practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"9697330251346063"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144162577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nursing EthicsPub Date : 2025-05-26DOI: 10.1177/09697330251344170
Sara Björklund, Peter Hagell, Mats Holmberg, Petra Lilja Hagell
{"title":"Influences on ambulance staff's understandings and safeguarding of ethical values.","authors":"Sara Björklund, Peter Hagell, Mats Holmberg, Petra Lilja Hagell","doi":"10.1177/09697330251344170","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330251344170","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Ambulance staff face ethical demands to safeguard patient dignity and autonomy in situations where these values may be threatened. However, influences on how patients are understood can undermine this safeguarding, potentially impacting health outcomes. To address this, increased knowledge of these influences is needed as well as how they may form the ability to protect ethical values.<b>Aim:</b> The aim was to explore ambulance staff's view of what influences their understandings of encounters with persons living in stigmatized neighborhoods.<b>Research Design:</b> Transcripts from semi-structured interviews with ambulance staff were analyzed with content analysis.<b>Participant and Research Context:</b> Twenty-seven ambulance staff members were included from two different Swedish ambulance districts.<b>Ethical Considerations:</b> The study was conducted based on the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority.<b>Findings:</b> Six categories emerged; Individual values; Colleagues; Associated organizations; Societal information; Professional experiences; and Management.<b>Conclusion:</b> Ambulance staff's understandings are influenced in a multifaceted way that can produce processes of othering toward persons tied to specific neighborhoods, ethnicities, or cultures. This process endangers the safeguarding of dignity and autonomy due to understandings of the patient as of less value. However, critical reflection and exposure to diverse perspectives can counteract this and protect these ethical values.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"9697330251344170"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144152577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ethical challenges nurses faced during the COVID-19 pandemic: Scoping review.","authors":"Ebin Arries-Kleyenstuber, Bernadette Dierckx de Casterlé, Kathryn Kynoch, Mary-Anne Ramis, Riitta Suhonen, Carla Ventura, Georgina Morley","doi":"10.1177/09697330251339417","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330251339417","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nurses encountered a myriad of ethical challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as allocation of scarce resources, the need to balance duty of care with safety of self as well as visitation restrictions. The impact of these challenges on the nursing workforce requires investigation. The aim of this review was to scope and describe the reported literature on ethical challenges faced by nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, including contextual characteristics and strategies reported to address these challenges. The review was conducted in accordance with JBI methods for scoping reviews and reported using PRISMA-ScR guidance. A published protocol guided conduct of the review. The following databases were searched for eligible studies from November 2019 to January 2023: PubMed, CINAHL, Ovid, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus. No language restrictions were applied. Studies were reviewed for inclusion by two independent reviewers, and a data extraction form was developed to extract data relevant to the review questions. Results were analyzed and presented according to the concepts of interest, using tables, figures, and supporting narrative synthesis. After searching the databases, 2150 citations were retrieved with 47 studies included in the review. Studies represented 23 countries across five continents. Most of the studies used qualitative designs. Ethical challenges were described in several ways, often without appealing to common ethics language or terms. Few studies reported on strategies to address the specific challenges, which may reflect the dynamic nature of the pandemic. The scoping review highlights the complex and, at times, overwhelming impact of ethical challenges faced by nurses across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from the review can be used as a basis for further research to explore, develop, and implement strategies to address ethical challenges faced by nurses during future public health crises.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"9697330251339417"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144040749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nursing EthicsPub Date : 2025-05-07DOI: 10.1177/09697330251339065
Halil Ibrahim Tasdemir, Dilek Kocabas, Emine Efe
{"title":"Moral and ethical challenges: Media influence on maternal trust in neonatal care.","authors":"Halil Ibrahim Tasdemir, Dilek Kocabas, Emine Efe","doi":"10.1177/09697330251339065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330251339065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundMedia narratives about healthcare scandals can profoundly influence public trust in medical institutions and professionals. In neonatal care, where trust in healthcare providers is crucial for parental decision-making, negative media portrayals may create ethical challenges by fostering fear and skepticism. The erosion of trust in neonatal nurses and healthcare institutions may seriously affect maternal decision-making and neonatal health outcomes.AimTo explore the ethical implications of media narratives on maternal trust in neonatal care. Specifically, it investigates how media portrayals of neonatal care scandals impact expectant mothers' perceptions of neonatal professionals, their emotional responses, and their healthcare choices.Research designA qualitative research design was employed using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke's framework, was used to analyze the data.Participants and research contextThe study included 22 expectant mothers in their third trimester who had been exposed to media coverage of neonatal care scandals in Turkey.Ethical considerationsEthical approval was obtained from the University Research Ethics Committee. Participants provided written informed consent, ensuring voluntary participation and anonymity.ResultsFour major themes emerged: (1) erosion of trust in neonatal nurses and institutions, leading to skepticism and emotional distress; (2) the emotional impact of media narratives, including fear, anxiety, and defensive decision-making regarding neonatal care choices; (3) perceived quality of care, highlighting concerns over the differences between public and private NICUs and resource allocation; and (4) the need for ethical reforms, including transparency, independent oversight, and media accountability to restore trust.ConclusionsMedia narratives significantly shape maternal perceptions of neonatal care, raising critical ethical concerns about trust and accountability. The findings highlight the need for systemic reforms to ensure ethical transparency, responsible media reporting, and enhanced communication between healthcare providers and the public. Addressing these ethical challenges is essential for fostering trust in neonatal nursing and ensuring equitable, high-quality care for newborns.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"9697330251339065"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144028639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nursing EthicsPub Date : 2025-05-05DOI: 10.1177/09697330251339420
Preston H Miller
{"title":"Moral distress among nurse leaders: A conceptual framework.","authors":"Preston H Miller","doi":"10.1177/09697330251339420","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330251339420","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Moral distress among nurses has been well examined within the literature since the concept's introduction in 1984. Moral distress occurs when constraints result in an individual being unable to act or compelled to act against their professional moral obligations, resulting in a sense of complicity and wrongdoing. Extensive research has explored the experience and consequences of moral distress, particularly among bedside nurses. Despite an abundance of articles regarding moral distress in nursing, few examine the concept among nurse leaders. Leadership roles within nursing can be at the patient care, unit, middle, and executive levels. Existing evidence suggests that nurse leaders experience moral distress similarly to other nursing populations; however, their leadership roles introduce unique challenges and experiences. The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for understanding moral distress among nurse leaders grounded in existing theory and evidence. The Moral Distress Theory, Crescendo Effect, and Ecological Systems Theory served as theoretical frameworks. The conceptual framework was developed from 2022 to 2024 following literature review, empirical (qualitative) validation, and content expert review and validation (<i>n</i> = 5). The Conceptual Framework of Moral Distress Among Nurse Leaders consists of four primary elements: (1) <i>nurse leaders as moral agents within a moral ecology</i>, (2) <i>antecedents of moral distress among nurse leaders</i>, (3) <i>physiological</i>, <i>psychological</i>, <i>and emotional effects of moral distress among nurse leaders</i>, and (4) <i>responsive action(s)</i> versus <i>inaction</i>. This proposed conceptual framework may serve as a foundational understanding of moral distress experienced by nurse leaders and a guide for future moral distress research among nurse leaders.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"9697330251339420"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144055841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nursing EthicsPub Date : 2025-05-03DOI: 10.1177/09697330251339419
Yimei Zhang, Qiulan Hu, Yu Wang, Qinglan Li, Min Zhou, Jingran Yang, Jiafei Lu, Ruijie YangLan, Fang Ma
{"title":"Experiences of healthcare professionals and patients regarding patient privacy in ICU.","authors":"Yimei Zhang, Qiulan Hu, Yu Wang, Qinglan Li, Min Zhou, Jingran Yang, Jiafei Lu, Ruijie YangLan, Fang Ma","doi":"10.1177/09697330251339419","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330251339419","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundIntensive care is essential for critically ill patients who experience loss of personal identity and restricted physical and emotional expression. However, patient privacy in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) remains inadequately protected, with both patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) reporting breaches. Cultural backgrounds and individual perspectives of patients and HCPs significantly shape their views on privacy. In China, discourse on ICU patient privacy is still in its early stages.Research aimThis study aims to explore the experiences of HCPs and patients regarding the patient privacy in ICU under the Chinese background.Research designA qualitative study was conducted using purposive sampling methods for semi-structured, face-to-face, in-depth interviews, followed by thematic analysis to identify key themes.Participants and research contextSix focus-group interviews (with a total of 33 nurses) were conducted, while seven doctors and 10 patients were interviewed individually from March to July 2024 at a tertiary hospital in China.Ethical considerationsThis study was approved by the hospital's Ethics Committee (reference number: 2024-L-158). Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and data confidentiality was ensured through anonymization and encrypted storage.FindingsFour themes were identified: (1) the coexistence of consensus and disagreement regarding privacy scope; (2) the paradoxical perception of privacy protection; (3) conflicting responses to privacy violation and (4) much has been done, but more is needed.ConclusionsMinimizing exposure of ICU patients' private areas and protecting their information are essential to safeguarding privacy. Education and training in bioethics can enhance HCPs' sensitivity to ethical issues and improve practices regarding privacy protection. Teaching resilience and stress management can help mitigate psychological distress associated with privacy violations in ICU patients. Additionally, promoting HCPs' privacy awareness, limiting visits by opposite-sex family members, and enhancing HCPs' empathy are key strategies in this context.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"9697330251339419"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144054385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nursing EthicsPub Date : 2025-05-01Epub Date: 2024-11-13DOI: 10.1177/09697330241299525
Lydia Mainey, Sarah Richardson, Ryan Essex, Jessica Dillard-Wright
{"title":"Nursing advocacy and activism: A critical analysis of regulatory documents.","authors":"Lydia Mainey, Sarah Richardson, Ryan Essex, Jessica Dillard-Wright","doi":"10.1177/09697330241299525","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241299525","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Advocacy and activism are dynamic terms representing a spectrum of political action, aiming to achieve social or political change. The extent to which nursing advocacy and activism are legitimate nursing roles has been debated for around 50 years. Nursing regulatory documents, such as codes of conduct and professional standards, may provide direction to nurses on how they should act in the context of advocacy and activism.<b>Aim:</b> To explore what regulatory documents say about advocacy and activism, either explicitly or implicitly, and how they shape advocacy and activism.<b>Research design:</b> We used a Reflexive Qualitative Document Analysis approach with a Critical Feminist lens to analyse contemporary nursing regulatory documents from the USA, UK and Australia.<b>Ethical considerations:</b> This article has no human participants, and informed consent was not required.<b>Findings:</b> We identified eight nursing regulatory documents from the American Nurses Association, Nursing and Midwifery Council and Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. We constructed two major themes that reveal how nursing advocacy and activism are conceived and shaped in regulatory documents. Theme 1, <i>Ideological arena</i> describes the gendered and neoliberal subtexts influencing advocacy and activism. Theme 2, <i>A five-pointed star</i>, describes the shape of advocacy and activism in the regulatory documents.<b>Conclusions:</b> Regulatory documents from the USA, UK and Australia support diplomatic nursing advocacy and activism for people, equity, ourselves (nurses), the profession and systems change. However, more oppositional and disruptive advocacy and activism are potentially constrained by gendered and neoliberal subtexts that depoliticise nurses' roles.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"980-993"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11993813/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142630908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nursing EthicsPub Date : 2025-05-01Epub Date: 2024-09-26DOI: 10.1177/09697330241284357
Elina Pajakoski, Helena Leino-Kilpi, Minna Stolt, Anto Čartolovni, Riitta Suhonen
{"title":"Nurses' justifications for morally courageous acts in ethical conflicts: A narrative inquiry.","authors":"Elina Pajakoski, Helena Leino-Kilpi, Minna Stolt, Anto Čartolovni, Riitta Suhonen","doi":"10.1177/09697330241284357","DOIUrl":"10.1177/09697330241284357","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Moral courage is defined as the courage to act in ethical conflicts based on individual or professional values despite the personal risks involved. Nurses justify their decisions to act morally courageously as part of their ethical decision-making.<b>Objective:</b> To describe registered nurses' justifications for acting morally courageously, or not, in ethical conflicts where they needed moral courage.<b>Research design:</b> A narrative inquiry with a holistic content approach was used. Individual, in-depth interviews were conducted in January-February 2023. The data were analysed using holistic content analysis.<b>Participants and research context:</b> Fourteen registered nurses with experience in situations where they needed moral courage participated. The nurses came from the somatic, palliative, mental health, and substance abuse care fields in Finland.<b>Ethical considerations:</b> Good scientific practice was followed. Ethical approval was obtained before data collection from the university's ethics committee.<b>Findings:</b> The nurses needed moral courage in ethical conflicts with patients present and between professionals. Individual responsibility, professional ethics, and emotions were identified as bases of nurses' justifications for morally courageous acts. The justifications for acting morally courageously, or not, had individual, contextual, and organisational perspectives. Morally courageous acts included starting a discussion about the conflict with other professionals and reporting the situation in writing within one's organisation.<b>Discussion and conclusions:</b> The identified bases and perspectives of justifications illustrate the complexity of nurses' decision-making in ethical conflicts, either leading to morally courageous acts or not. These results can inform nursing practice and research in developing processes to strengthen nurses' moral courage and examining relationships between moral courage and other concepts, such as moral resilience.</p>","PeriodicalId":49729,"journal":{"name":"Nursing Ethics","volume":" ","pages":"752-766"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11993820/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142331100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}