Salient Ethical Issues in Psychiatry Mental Health

Psychiatrist mental health nurse practitioners often encounter scenarios in which their capacities to deliver sound mental judgment is limited (Smith, 2015). In such scenarios, nurses must rely on evidence-based practice to determine what is right or wrong. Nurses must also remain professional and unbiased in the care they provide. In light of this, the essay discusses moral distress as an ethical issue faced by psychiatry nurses, compares the ethical dilemma with state laws, and outlines ethical decision-making in addressing the dilemmas. Salient Ethical Issues in Psychiatry Mental Health

Summary of the Ethical Issue

A critical ethical issue in psychiatric mental health practice is moral distress. (Christodoulou-Fella et al., 2017).  Inadequate care for mental health patients can result in feelings of moral distress for healthcare professions. By definition, moral distress is personal distress associated with situations where mental health professionals know and understand the right thing to do, but cannot due to social or other constraints. Moral distress is a crucial issue for nurses working in psychiatry, especially when ethics become impractical. They must contend with the consequences incurred if a decision that adversely affects a patient is made (Monrouxe et al., 2015).  In such scenarios, nurses may experience a lack of control and power over their capacity to meet patient obligations, ultimately causing a conflict in responsibilities.

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Moral and Ethical Dilemmas Surrounding the Issue

The primary ethical dilemma surrounding the concept of moral distress is the conflict of responsibilities. Nurses have ethically obligated to the profession as well as the patient. At times, deciding whose rights should take precedence is a challenge. Ethically, nurses must observe the principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, and beneficence, and their actions must be in the best interests of the patient (Stone, 2018). Similarly, all nursing actions must not cause patient harm. At the same time, nurses’ actions must be within the established guidelines and principles that direct the foundation. Practicing against the code of conduct has grave consequences, among them litigation and loss of license. When interacting with mental health patients, nurses encounter a limitation of their responsibilities, which burden them with feelings of inadequacy.Salient Ethical Issues in Psychiatry Mental Health

Comparison of the Ethical Issue to State Health Laws and Regulations

In Texas, there are general laws that govern the interaction of mental health professionals with patients. Similarly, the state has regulations that drive the practice of nurses. Practicing outside the provided rules is a punishable offence. Nurses are required to practice within and comply with the guidelines provided to improve mental health. The interplay of these two issues could lead to moral distress among mental health nurses. They may refrain from engaging in various interventions, especially if their practice laws forbid such interventions.

The Process of Ethical Decision Making that would be used in Addressing this Ethical Dilemma

In scenarios involving moral distress due to a conflict of responsibilities, nurses must devise ways of approaching the issue and ameliorate the concerns. First, the issue should be approached at the patient level through respectful and open communication (Ghiyasvandian et al., 2015). All individuals have their own opinions as to what they consider is right and wrong. All these persons to express the reasons behind their views respectively is crucial. Second, moral distress should be solved at the organization’s level by assessing previous scenarios to make an informed decision. Third, a universal approach should be taken to review policies and guidelines governing mental health.

Conclusion

In summary, moral distress among mental health nurses is a critical ethical issue that should be addressed as it can affect nurses negatively. Moral distress in psychiatry nurses occurs when there is a conflict in role responsibilities. Alleviating the issue can occur at the patient, organizational, and universal levels.Salient Ethical Issues in Psychiatry Mental Health

References

Christodoulou-Fella, M., Middleton, N., Papathanassoglou, E. D., & Karanikola, M. N. (2017). Exploration of the association between nurses’ moral distress and secondary traumatic stress syndrome: Implications for patient safety in mental health services. BioMed Research International, 2017, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1908712

Ghiyasvandian, S., Zakerimoghadam, M., & Peyravi, H. (2014). Nurse as a facilitator to professional communication: A qualitative study. Global Journal of Health Science, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v7n2p294

Monrouxe, L. V., Rees, C. E., Dennis, I., & Wells, S. E. (2015). Professionalism dilemmas, moral distress and the healthcare student: Insights from two online UK-wide questionnaire studies. BMJ Open, 5(5), e007518-e007518. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007518

Smith, J. P., & Herber, O. R. (2014). Ethical issues experienced by mental health nurses in the administration of antipsychotic depot and long-acting intramuscular injections: A qualitative study. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 24(3), 222-230. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12105

Stone, E. (2018). Evidence-based medicine and bioethics: Implications for health care organizations, clinicians, and patients. The Permanente Journal. https://doi.org/10.7812/tpp/18-030

Salient Ethical Issues in Psychiatry Mental Health