Nurses' perception of ethical challenges in caring for patients with COVID-19: a qualitative analysis

Nasrin  Rezaee; Marjan   Mardani-Hamooleh; Maryam  Seraji

doi:10.18502/jmehm.v13i23.4954

Nasrin Rezaee
Marjan Mardani-Hamooleh
Maryam Seraji

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jmehm.v13i23.4954

Keywords: Coronavirus; COVID-19; Nursing ethics; Ethical challenges; Qualitative study.

Abstract

Nurses face several challenges in providing care for patients with coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19). The study aimed to explain the nurses' perception of ethical challenges in this regard. The qualitative study was carried out using a content analysis method. Individual and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 nurses. Inductive content analysis was used to categorize the data. Nurses' narratives indicated that ethical challenges in caring for patients with COVID-19 included threats to professional values and the absence of a holistic COVID-19 care approach. The first category was subcategorized into the risk of declining quality of patient care and a stigmatized public image about COVID-19 care. The second category was divided into poor spiritual care, poor compassionate care, and lack of family-centered care. Health care managers must develop protocols for nurses that address these issues to alleviate the ethical challenges of COVID-19 care.