Ethical difficulties in healthcare: A comparison between physicians and nurses

BACKGROUND: Advances in biomedical sciences, technologies and care practices have resulted in an increase in ethical problems and a resulting growth of difficulties encountered by health workers in their professional activity.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to analyse knowledge in the ethical field and experience with and the propensity for using ethics consultations by nurses and physicians.

METHODS: Between March and June 2014, a cross-sectional observational study was conducted on a sample of 351 nurses and 128 physicians in four central Italian hospitals. For data collection, a semi-structured questionnaire was used, consisting of 21 items divided into four sections exploring (1) demographic and occupational characteristics, (2) knowledge in the ethics field, (3) experience with ethical issues and (4) the propensity to use ethics consultation. Ethical considerations: Research ethics approval was obtained from the Italian Nurses Professional Board.

RESULTS: The results show that both nurses and physicians are faced with ethically sensitive situations. Nurses were found to have better judgement concerning their own knowledge than physicians, but more physicians were found to have a deeper level of specific training in ethics issues. The propensity to ask for ethics consultations to address ethical issues was found to be significantly associated with the degree to which ethical issues have deepened (and the level of experience acquired in this field).

CONCLUSION: The presence of a consulting service that can lead to shared choices may represent, together with basic and continuing education, a valid support for professional growth in the ethical field for both physicians and nurses.