Resilience as an Incomplete Strategy for Coping With Moral Distress in Critical Care Nurses

Wocial, Lucia D. PhD, RN, HCE-C

Author
Lucia D. Wocial is an adjunct assistant professor, Indiana University School of Nursing, and a nurse ethicist, Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Corresponding author: Lucia D. Wocial, PhD, RN, HCE-C, Indiana University School of Nursing, 1800 N Capitol Ave, MH Noyes E 600, Indianapolis, IN 46202 (email:[email protected]).

To purchase electronic or print reprints, contact the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 27071 Aliso Creek Rd, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656. Phone, (800) 899-1712 or (949) 362-2050 (ext 532); fax, (949) 362-2049; email,[email protected].

Critical Care Nurse 40(6):p 62-66, December 2020. | DOI: 10.4037/ccn2020873

Topic

Moral distress is receiving increasing attention in health care. The theoretical value of resilience as a strategy for coping with moral distress is prominent in the literature.

Clinical Relevance

The potential negative consequences of moral distress for nurses are indisputable, driving a push to identify interventions to help nurses deal with the experience. The evidence that resilience is an important quality and skill for maintaining wellness is equally clear.

Purpose

To review moral distress and resilience and examine the evidence for the new focus on resilience.

Content Covered

The complexity of both moral distress and resilience suggests that resilience by itself is an incomplete strategy for coping with and addressing moral distress. (Critical Care Nurse. 2020;40[6]:62-66)