Exploring Nurses' Journey Toward Moral Upliftment: Upholding Ethical Behavior and Maintaining Moral Integrity

Abstract

Background: Ethical dilemmas are integral to everyday nursing care, and nurses are expected to consider themselves obligated to address ethical issues in diverse situations. However, moral dilemmas may sometimes conflict with nurses’ personal moral principles or professional values. Therefore, nurses strive to promote ethical practice by developing individual and organizational strategies that enhance moral upliftment. Objectives: This study aimed to explore nurses’ experiences in their journey toward moral upliftment. Methods: This qualitative study included 25 nurses. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted between February 2017 and September 2019 and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The main theme identified through data analysis was moral upliftment. Three subthemes emerged: moral foundations, moral perfectionism, and moral integrity. Additional extracted factors included family upbringing, religious beliefs, moral responsibility, moral judgment, moral courage, self-sacrifice, adherence to ethical principles, preservation of human dignity, and empathy. Conclusions: The findings indicate that nurses demonstrate ethical behavior by exercising sound judgment. They courageously confront external pressures by relying on their moral values and strive to implement ethical decisions while maintaining moral integrity across diverse contexts. This process enhances nurses’ morale, which plays a pivotal role in delivering quality care.