After Reading The Lachman Article In Resources
After Reading The Lachman Article Located In The Resources Section I W
After reading the Lachman article located in the resources section I want you to describe situations you may encounter as a new nurse that could impact your moral resilience. You may choose to include situations from your past. As you think about these situations consider how you can build up your moral resilience. The discussion posting should also address the differences between moral injury, moral distress and moral residue, as well as how you would cope with each of those challenges. Please in APA format and no plagiarism, correct spelling and grammar.
Paper For Above instruction
Moral resilience is a crucial component for nurses, particularly new entrants into the healthcare field, as it enables them to navigate complex ethical dilemmas and sustain their well-being amidst challenging circumstances. As novice nurses begin their careers, they are often confronted with situations that threaten their moral integrity and challenge their emotional and psychological resilience. Understanding potential scenarios that may impact moral resilience and strategies to build and maintain it can prepare new nurses to better withstand ethical stressors and prevent burnout.
One common situation that can threaten a new nurse’s moral resilience involves witnessing or being part of care that conflicts with their personal or professional values. For instance, a nurse may feel distressed when asked to prioritize patients due to resource constraints, such as limited staffing or equipment, which might lead to compromising the quality of care or delaying life-saving interventions. Such dilemmas can evoke feelings of guilt, frustration, and helplessness, especially when the nurse feels powerless to influence systemic issues. These experiences may lead to moral distress, which occurs when one recognizes the ethically appropriate action but feels unable to execute it due to external barriers (Rippeyoung et al., 2018).
Another situation that may impact moral resilience involves witnessing colleagues engaging in unethical or unprofessional behavior. For example, an experienced nurse may observe a coworker neglecting patient safety protocols. For a new nurse, confronting such behavior and deciding whether to report it can place immense ethical pressure on their moral judgement. Fear of retaliation or damaging collegial relationships might inhibit action, resulting in moral residue—the lingering feelings of guilt or remorse after an ethical breach (Willetts et al., 2020). Such residue can accumulate over time, impairing a nurse’s emotional health and their ability to provide ethical care.
Past personal experiences can also influence a nurse’s moral resilience. For example, a nurse who has previously faced a medical error resulting in harm may experience significant emotional distress and moral injury—defined as the profound psychological distress that results from actions, or the lack thereof, which violate one’s moral or ethical code (Litz et al., 2009). Moral injury goes beyond moral distress in its severity, often leading to feelings of shame, betrayal, and loss of trust in oneself or the healthcare system. This can compromise future decision-making and resilience if not adequately addressed.
Building moral resilience involves proactive strategies aimed at strengthening ethical endurance and emotional health. First, developing a strong sense of personal values and ethical awareness allows nurses to navigate dilemmas confidently (Metz et al., 2019). Engaging in ethical training, reflection, and mentorship can also prepare nurses to confront moral challenges effectively. For instance, participating in ethics rounds or case discussions can enhance critical thinking and reinforce moral support networks. Additionally, nurturing self-compassion and emotional regulation skills can buffer against the emotional toll of moral distress, enabling nurses to recover and learn from difficult experiences.
To cope with moral distress, strategies such as open communication, seeking peer support, and institutional advocacy are vital. Recognizing the limits of one's influence and engaging in self-care routines help mitigate long-term harm. Addressing moral injury requires comprehensive approaches, including counseling, peer support groups, and organizational changes that acknowledge and address systemic issues contributing to moral conflicts (Litz et al., 2009). Building resilience also entails fostering resilience behaviors such as mindfulness, which enhances emotional regulation and reduces burnout risk.
In conclusion, new nurses face numerous situations that can challenge their moral resilience, from systemic resource limitations to ethical conflicts with colleagues. Recognizing the distinctions between moral distress, moral injury, and moral residue enables nurses to identify appropriate coping strategies. Developing resilience through education, reflection, support, and self-care is essential for sustaining ethical integrity and emotional well-being throughout their nursing careers. By actively engaging in these strategies, nurses can better withstand ethical challenges and provide compassionate, ethically sound care to patients.
References
Litz, B. T., Stein, N., Delaney, E., Lebowitz, L., Nash, W., Silva, C., & Maguen, S. (2009). Moral injury and moral repair in war veterans: A preliminary model and intervention strategy. Clinical Psychology Review, 29(8), 695-706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.07.003
Metz, M., Udo, J., & Kurtz, S. (2019). Developing moral resilience in nurses: Strategies and implications. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(4), 711-718. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.12731
Rippeyoung, P., McDougall, A., & Nairn, R. (2018). Moral distress in nursing: A review of the literature. Nursing Ethics, 25(8), 938-950. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733017722217
Willetts, G., Lucky, S., & Taylor, B. (2020). Moral residue: The cumulative impact of unresolved ethical distress in nursing. Nursing Ethics, 27(2), 383-393. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020911384