Determinants of moral sensitivity of midwives and nurses – current state of knowledge

Abstract

Introduction. Midwives and nurses experience ethical dilemmas during providing patient care. The manner of coping with them plays an important role in shaping the nature of care. Aim. The aim was to analyse the scientific literature on moral sensitivity characterising midwives, nurses and to answer the question of which determinants influence it. Method. A critical review of the literature was performed, using a combination of key words: moral sensitivity, nurses, midwives, work, hospital. Articles were identified using three databases (PubMed, CINAHAL Complete, SCOPUS). The results were narrowed to original articles in English published between 2011 and 2021. The analysis covered 15 articles. Summary. The moral sensitivity of midwives and nurses exhibits a correlation with sociodemographic variables such as age, education, job seniority, and the hospital’s ethical climate and decision-making which is consistent with the principles of professional ethics. An important task of the academic, managerial staff of hospitals is to shape nurses’ and midwives’ moral sensitivity during their education.