Moral distress in community health nursing practice
Diana Guzys
A B , Kathleen Tori A and Carey Mather A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Nursing, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Locked Bag 1322, Launceston, Tas. 7250, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: diana.guzys@utas.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 27(5) 350-353 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY20276
Submitted: 23 November 2020 Accepted: 26 April 2021 Published: 12 July 2021
Abstract
Contemporary sociopolitical circumstance impedes the delivery of primary health care in keeping with its underlying philosophy and tenets. Skills to negotiate the maintenance of best practice and quality care in an evolving practice environment are fundamental to nursing. Nurse education needs to incorporate the ideals of best practice ideology to ensure that all are prepared to negotiate the realities of nursing practice. In this discussion paper the experience of moral distress by community health nurses is used to illustrate why skills in political advocacy and action are equally essential as clinical skills in nurse education and professional practice.
Keywords: moral distress, community health, nursing practice, workforce.
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