TY - JOUR
T1 - Picking the ‘proper hat?’ Emerging ethical dilemmas while juggling nursing and research roles
AU - Vechter, Tamar
AU - Drach-Zahavy, Anat
AU - Goldblatt, Hadass
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Aim: The aim of this study is to explore ethical dilemmas inherent in two potentially conflicting roles: practising nurse and researcher. Background: Ethical guidelines for practice and research in nursing have been widely discussed. Yet examining ethical dilemmas that emerge from engaging in the dual role of nurse–researcher is rare. Method: A qualitative approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews with 15 nurse–researchers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: One theme emerged with three subthemes of nurse–researcher role definitions: primarily nurse, primarily researcher and combined nurse–researcher. Each subtheme had three dimensions: (a) how ethical dilemmas were expressed in encounters with role colleagues, (b) coping strategies and (c) implications for nurse–researchers. Conclusion: Primarily nurses or primarily researchers experienced conflict in encounters with role colleagues, developed less effective coping strategies and reported impaired well-being. Conversely, combined nurse–researchers said each role nourished the other. Implications for nursing management: Nursing policymakers and managers should support the nurse–researcher role by developing a code of ethics that acknowledges the dual role's inherent dilemmas, assimilate organisational routines and roles that support nursing research and encourage forums for discussing staff dilemmas.
AB - Aim: The aim of this study is to explore ethical dilemmas inherent in two potentially conflicting roles: practising nurse and researcher. Background: Ethical guidelines for practice and research in nursing have been widely discussed. Yet examining ethical dilemmas that emerge from engaging in the dual role of nurse–researcher is rare. Method: A qualitative approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews with 15 nurse–researchers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: One theme emerged with three subthemes of nurse–researcher role definitions: primarily nurse, primarily researcher and combined nurse–researcher. Each subtheme had three dimensions: (a) how ethical dilemmas were expressed in encounters with role colleagues, (b) coping strategies and (c) implications for nurse–researchers. Conclusion: Primarily nurses or primarily researchers experienced conflict in encounters with role colleagues, developed less effective coping strategies and reported impaired well-being. Conversely, combined nurse–researchers said each role nourished the other. Implications for nursing management: Nursing policymakers and managers should support the nurse–researcher role by developing a code of ethics that acknowledges the dual role's inherent dilemmas, assimilate organisational routines and roles that support nursing research and encourage forums for discussing staff dilemmas.
KW - ethical dilemmas in nursing research
KW - qualitative research
KW - research ethics
KW - researcher's role conflict
KW - thematic analysis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85134610168&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13735
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13735
M3 - Article
SN - 0966-0429
JO - Journal of Nursing Management
JF - Journal of Nursing Management
ER -