Registered Nurses' and nursing students' perspectives on moral distress and its effects: A mixed‐methods systematic review and thematic synthesis

Abstract

AbstractAimTo examine Registered Nurses (RNs') and nursing students' perspectives on factors contributing to moral distress and the effects on their health, well‐being and professional and career intentions.DesignJoanna Briggs Institute mixed‐methods systematic review and thematic synthesis. Registered in Prospero (Redacted).MethodsFive databases were searched on 5 May 2021 for studies published in English since January 2010. Methodological quality assessment was conducted in parallel with data extraction.ResultsSearches yielded 2343 hits. Seventy‐seven articles were included. Most were correlational design and used convenience sampling. Studies were mainly from North America and Asia and situated in intensive and critical care settings. There were common, consistent sources of moral distress across continents, specialities and settings. Factors related to perceived inability or failure to enact moral agency and responsibility in moral events at individual, team and structural levels generated distress. Moral distress had a negative effect on RNs health and psychological well‐being.Patient or Public ContributionNo patient or public contribution to this systematic review.