Moral Distress and Moral Agency: Staff Experience of Supporting Self-Determination for People with Dementia

Cecilia Ingard (), Maria Sjölund and Sven Trygged ()
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Cecilia Ingard: Department of Social Work, Criminology and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle, SE-80176 Gävle, Sweden
Maria Sjölund: Department of Social Work, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden
Sven Trygged: Department of Social Work, Criminology and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle, SE-80176 Gävle, Sweden

Social Sciences, 2024, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: People living in nursing homes have the right to self-determination, and difficulty in accommodating this right can create moral distress in staff. This study aimed to explore experiences of situations of moral distress and to identify nursing home staffs’ needs to act with moral agency. Six group interviews were conducted with nursing home staff. Content analysis of the interview responses showed that moral distress can be rooted in both concrete situations with residents and factors related to the work environment and policy requirements. Personnel can address moral distress through both active and passive means. Staff acted to address moral distress mainly in situations with residents and sometimes in relation to co-workers, but they did not try to influence the policy level.

Keywords: moral distress; nursing homes; dementia; staff experiences; resident autonomy; self-determination; working conditions; moral agency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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