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Ethical Issues in Practice: A Survey of Public Health Nurses in J apan
Author(s) -
Asahara Kiyomi,
Kobayashi Maasa,
Ono Wakanako,
Omori Junko,
Todome Hiromi,
Konishi Emiko,
Miyazaki Toshie
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
public health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.471
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1525-1446
pISSN - 0737-1209
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2011.00990.x
Subject(s) - nursing , continuing education , public health , public health nursing , demographics , health care , medicine , medical education , sociology , political science , demography , law
Objectives The purposes of this study were to identify specific components and frequencies of ethical issues that public health nurses ( PHN s) encountered in their practice, relationships between ethical issues and demographic data, and ethics education and workplace environment. Design and Sample Cross‐sectional survey for PHN s at local governmental agencies in J apan. Usable data were 3,409. Measures Public health nurses completed the frequency of ethical issues, experience of ethics education, workplace environment, and demographics. Results Item and exploratory factor analysis for the frequency of encountering ethical issues revealed: (1) discrepancy of intention between client and his/her family on treatment or care; (2) differences in views between PHN s and their organization's administrators regarding providing services; and (3) discrepancy of caretaking views between PHN s and various professionals. All factors were related to work experience and one factor was specifically related to the type of local government employing PHN s. Only 11.1% of PHN s received ethics education via continuing education programs. PHN s reported that programmed continuing education systems were not sufficiently available. Conclusions Systematic continuing ethics education programs for PHN s need developing, tailored to the specific characteristics associated with PHN s’ ethical concerns, such as nurses’ working experience and the type of employing local government.