Moral distress in psychiatric clinical placements: Voices of nursing students.
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| Title: | Moral distress in psychiatric clinical placements: Voices of nursing students. |
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| Authors: | Elsayed, Essam Eltantawy (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Saudi Journal for Health Sciences. Jan-Apr2026, Vol. 15 Issue 1, p52-57. 6p. |
| Subjects: | Nursing students, Mentoring, Psychiatric nursing, Professional education, Ethical problems, Practicums, Perseverance (Ethics) |
| Geographic Terms: | Egypt |
| Abstract: | Background: Moral distress is a critical challenge in psychiatric nursing education, yet its experiential dimensions among undergraduate students remain insufficiently understood. Psychiatric placements expose learners to ethically charged situations that test their values and professional identity. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore how undergraduate nursing students at Helwan University, Egypt, to experience and navigate moral distress, and to examine how these experiences shape moral resilience. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design grounded in a constructivist paradigm was used with 12 final-year nursing students. Data from semi-structured interviews and structured reflective journals were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes captured the developmental trajectory of moral distress: (1) negotiating autonomy and authority, (2) ethical paralysis and silencing, (3) emotional disengagement as coping, and (4) reconstructing moral resilience through reflection. Moral distress evolved from initial tension toward reflective empowerment when supported by structured mentorship. Conclusion: Moral distress functions as a formative catalyst for ethical growth. Embedding structured reflective mentorship within psychiatric curricula is essential for transforming moral suffering into professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Saudi Journal for Health Sciences is the property of Wolters Kluwer India Pvt Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Background: Moral distress is a critical challenge in psychiatric nursing education, yet its experiential dimensions among undergraduate students remain insufficiently understood. Psychiatric placements expose learners to ethically charged situations that test their values and professional identity. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore how undergraduate nursing students at Helwan University, Egypt, to experience and navigate moral distress, and to examine how these experiences shape moral resilience. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design grounded in a constructivist paradigm was used with 12 final-year nursing students. Data from semi-structured interviews and structured reflective journals were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four themes captured the developmental trajectory of moral distress: (1) negotiating autonomy and authority, (2) ethical paralysis and silencing, (3) emotional disengagement as coping, and (4) reconstructing moral resilience through reflection. Moral distress evolved from initial tension toward reflective empowerment when supported by structured mentorship. Conclusion: Moral distress functions as a formative catalyst for ethical growth. Embedding structured reflective mentorship within psychiatric curricula is essential for transforming moral suffering into professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 22781900 |
| DOI: | 10.4103/sjhs.sjhs_161_25 |
