Ethical Dilemma and Moral Distress

Authors

  • João Paulo Azenha Pina Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos e Intermédios Polivalente, Hospital do Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25751/rspa.18014

Keywords:

Attitude of Health Personnel; Bioethical Issues; Burnout, Professional; Ethics, Clinical; Ethics, Medical; Moral Obligations; Morals

Abstract

The author seeks to discuss the use and the meaning of the term moral distress considering the circumstances in which it is applied and its importance in the process of ethical deliberation in clinical practice. According to the literature and within the concepts of bioethics, the author concludes that, from his point of view, there is no place for moral distress as an emotion or phenomenon that arises after the
deliberation and the clinical decision, however it is acceptable that moral distress appears as an inevitable and normal emotion during the discussion of the ethical dilemma. Thus, in his opinion, it is not the moral distress that can be blamed for the compassion fatigue or moral residue.

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Author Biography

João Paulo Azenha Pina, Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos e Intermédios Polivalente, Hospital do Santo Espírito da Ilha Terceira, Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal

Nasceu em Coimbra em 20 de Agosto de 1958 Licenciado em Medicina pela Universidade de Coimbra, fez o Internato Geral no Hospital do Santo Espírito de Angra do Heroísmo e o Internato Complementar de Anestesiologia no Hospital de S. João, no Porto. Dedica-se em exclusividade ao exercício da Medicina Intensiva desde 1997. É Chefe de Serviço de Anestesiologia, Coordenador de Doação e Colheita de Órgãos para Transplantação no HSEIT e desde 2015 é o Director da Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos Polivalente. A utilização da ultrassonografia na prática clínica é um dos seus principais campos de interesse.  Tem dedicado uma grande parte do seu tempo ao estudo e divulgação da Bioética e Doente Crítico.

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Published

2019-06-13

How to Cite

Pina, J. P. A. (2019). Ethical Dilemma and Moral Distress. Journal of the Portuguese Society of Anesthesiology, 28(2), 119–123. https://doi.org/10.25751/rspa.18014

Issue

Vol. 28 No. 2 (2019): Revista da Sociedade Portuguesa de Anestesiologia

Section

Perspective

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