The relationships of ethical climate, physician–nurse collaboration and psychological empowerment with critical care nurses' ethical conflict in China: A structural equation model
Yuanfei Liu, Yuping Zhang, Jingfen Jin
Abstract
AIMS: To explore the relationships of ethical climate, physician-nurse collaboration and psychological empowerment with ethical conflict in critical care nurses. BACKGROUND: Ethical conflict is a major ethical issue in nursing practice. Little research has been done on the associated factors from both organizational and personal perspectives, especially in China. METHODS: From October 2021 to March 2022, we collected the data from 342 critical care nurses in three tertiary general hospitals in China via questionnaires about four variables (ethical climate, physician-nurse collaboration, psychological empowerment and ethical conflict). Data were analysed using Spearman's correlation and a structural equation model through statistical product and service solutions (SPSS) and analysis of moment structure (AMOS). RESULTS: Critical care nurses' ethical conflict showed a negative correlation with ethical climate (r = -0.351), physician-nurse collaboration (r = -0.347) and psychological empowerment (r = -0.259) (all p < 0.001). Physician-nurse collaboration partially mediated the relationship between ethical climate and ethical conflict. Additionally, physician-nurse collaboration and psychological empowerment served as sequential mediators in the association. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that negative ethical climate can lead to poor physician-nurse collaboration and ultimately ethical conflict. The intermediary role of psychological empowerment and physician-nurse collaboration was also identified. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nursing managers should use the study as a fundamental basis to evaluate factors that can affect nurses' ethical conflict and develop effective strategies to mitigate this issue, which may help improve nurses' wellbeing and quality of patient care.