Ethical Issues and Moral Distress in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing: a Literature Review

Abstract

This review focuses on ethical issues in psychiatric and mental health nursing and moral distress that occurs with psychiatric nurses. Literature published between 2000 and 2014 was identified using the PubMed, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, and by hand search in the library before being analyzed under themes related to ethical issues and moral distress in psychiatric and mental health nursing.  A summary of the existing literature related to challenges in psychiatric mental health nursing practiced; ethical issues in psychiatric and mental health nursing; moral distress, its definition, associated situations and consequences, and moral distress literature; and the findings need to be shared to increase awareness of the moral distress experienced in psychiatric and mental health nursing. However, the related literature does not address support strategies to help reduce moral stress. There is a growing need to better understand moral distress in psychiatric mental health nursing in order to identify ways to support encountered situations.