Michael, an ICU nurse, worked with the team as they followed the physician's order to discontinue life support on a patient diagnosed with persistent vegetative state. Michael believes that life is sacred and that he has a duty to do whatever it takes to preserve life. Nevertheless, he remained silent as the decision was made, and he assisted his coworkers when they unplugged the respirator. In this situation, what is Michael likely to experience?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Michael is likely to experience moral distress in this situation. Moral distress arises when an individual is aware of the right course of action but is unable to act according to his moral beliefs due to external constraints such as organizational or administrative policies. In this case, Michael's duty to preserve life conflicts with the physician's order to discontinue life support. Even though he remained silent and assisted in the process, he may still experience moral distress because he feels that he participated in an action that goes against his moral beliefs.

Michael, an ICU Nurse, Worked with the Team as They