Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

Click here to sign up for SAGE Journal Email Alerts today!

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
Western Journal of Nursing Research
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wurzbach, M. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Wurzbach, M. E.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Complore   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

Long-Term Care Nurses' Ethical Convictions About Tube Feeding

Mary Ellen Wurzbach

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Moral certait uncertainty, or both have an impact on every ethical decision confronted by the nurse. This article describes a qualitative study of the moral certainty and uncertainty experienced by long-term care nurses who are faced with the issue of withholding or withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration from elders in the end stages of life. Moral certainty and uncertainty are analyzed as universal concepts, and the analysis is supported by the words of the study participants. Morally certain participants view tube feeding negatively and are likely to take some action when confronted with elders being tube-fed The most common action is to educate families about tube feeding. Morally uncertain participants see the tube feeding as neutral or benign and are likely to take no action, but to maintain a strong belief that the elder should not suffer Moral certainty and uncertainty are compared and contrasted and thefindings discussed

Western Journal of Nursing Research, Vol. 18, No. 1, 63-76 (1996)
DOI: 10.1177/019394599601800105
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Nurs EthicsHome page
E. Konishi, M. Yahiro, N. Nakajima, and M. Ono
The Japanese Value of Harmony and Nursing Ethics
Nursing Ethics, September 1, 2009; 16(5): 625 - 636.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Med. EthicsHome page
E Bryon, B D. de Casterle, and C Gastmans
Nurses' attitudes towards artificial food or fluid administration in patients with dementia and in terminally ill patients: a review of the literature
J. Med. Ethics, June 1, 2008; 34(6): 431 - 436.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Nurs EthicsHome page
M. C Corley
Nurse Moral Distress: a proposed theory and research agenda
Nursing Ethics, November 1, 2002; 9(6): 636 - 650.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Nurs EthicsHome page
E. Konishi, A. J Davis, and T. Aiba
The Ethics of Withdrawing Artificial Food and Fluid from Terminally Ill Patients: an end-of-life dilemma for Japanese nurses and families
Nursing Ethics, January 1, 2002; 9(1): 7 - 19.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 West J Nurs ResHome page
L. DeSantis and D. N. Ugarriza
The Concept of Theme as Used in Qualitative Nursing Research
West J Nurs Res, April 1, 2000; 22(3): 351 - 372.
[Abstract] [PDF]