Models of ethical decision-making in nursing

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 M.Sc. of Critical Care Nursing, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Ph.D candidate of nursing, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 M.Sc. of Critical Care Nursing, Neyshabour University of Medical Sciences

10.22038/nnj.2025.84490.1466

Abstract

Background and Aims: Nursing ethics consist of principles that influence nurses' behavior in their interactions with patients and the community, preparing them for ethical challenges. Nurses face ethical decision-making challenges and conflicting options that require effective skills. They must accept their professional responsibility in resolving these issues and make ethical decisions while considering patients' rights. This article examines strategies that facilitate ethical decision-making process.
Materials and Methods: To investigate the research question, narrative review method was employed. The search was conducted across various databases without time restrictions. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established for selecting articles, resulting in identification of 21 articles, of which 9 were selected based on the main objective of the study.
Results: Various models of ethical decision-making in nursing include Dignity Enhancing Care Framework, SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation), Trust Approach for Nursing Ethics, Greipp’s Model of Ethical Decision Making, Markkula Center Framework for Ethical Decision Making, Environmental Model of Clinical Decision Making in emergency settings, Bushamp and Childress practice guidelines, Park's integrated ethical decision making model for nurses, and Thorn and Wagner's moral challenge decision tool.
Conclusion: Ethical decision-making in nursing plays a crucial role in quality of patient care. Given the ethical complexities in nurse-patient interactions, understanding various ethical decision-making models help nurses make better choices in challenging situations. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate teaching of these models into nursing education programs to enable nurses to perform more effectively.

Keywords

References

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Navid No
Volume 27, Issue 92
March 2025
Pages 82-97

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