Impact of Case Review Debriefings on Moral Distress of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Nurses

Abstract

Background Moral distress occurs when nurses know the ethically correct action to take but are restrained from taking it. Moral distress is prevalent in nurses who work in intense stress situations, as do extracorporeal membrane oxygenation nurses. Local Problem Nurses who work in critical care settings have higher levels of moral distress than nurses who work in other practice areas. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of case review debriefings on moral distress of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation nurses. Methods Thirty-nine critical care registered nurses with specialty training in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were invited to participate in this clinical improvement project. The intervention consisted of 2 case review debriefings. The Moral Distress Scale–Revised and the Moral Distress Thermometer were used to measure long-term and acute (short-term) moral distress. Results Of a potential range of 0 to 336, the mean Moral Distress Scale–Revised score was 134.0 before intervention and 131.8 after intervention. The frequency of experiencing moral distress did not change after intervention, but the level of moral distress increased after intervention. Moral Distress Thermometer scores decreased for 80% of participants and increased for 20%. Five items related to perceptions of prolonging death and suffering were the most frequent causes of moral distress. Conclusions Developing strategies and providing opportunities to mitigate moral distress are crucial to a healthy future nursing workforce. Implications include the potential for improved patient care, decreased turnover rates and costs, and improved nurse satisfaction rates.