Table 2.
Frequency and usefulness of methods of solving ethical problems
| Method of solving ethical problem | Frequency of use (scale 1–5)a | Usefulness (scale 1–4)b | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| categ. | Mean | Median | SD | often % | always % | n | order of usefulness | Mean | Median | SD | somewhat useful | very useful | n | |
| 1. Discussion with nurses | D | 4.36 | 4.00 | 0.63 | 51 | 43 | 213 | 1. | 3.83 | 4.00 | 0,37 | 17 | 83 | 211 |
| 2. Relying on personal values | D | 3.96 | 4.00 | 0.93 | 43 | 31 | 209 | 12. | 3.55 | 4.00 | 0.58 | 38 | 58 | 200 |
| 3. Discussion with manager colleagues | D | 3.77 | 4.00 | 0.78 | 56 | 14 | 214 | 4. | 3.68 | 4.00 | 0.52 | 29 | 69 | 210 |
| 4. Discussion with own manager | D | 3.74 | 4.00 | 0.82 | 50 | 15 | 214 | 6. | 3.62 | 4.00 | 0.62 | 27 | 68 | 207 |
| 5. Situation-specific, pre-defined instructions | I | 3.40 | 4.00 | 1.07 | 38 | 14 | 203 | 13. | 3.55 | 4.00 | 0.59 | 36 | 59 | 185 |
| 6.Discussing with the doctor treating the patient | D | 3.34 | 3.00 | 1.01 | 28 | 11 | 207 | 11. | 3.55 | 4.00 | 0.58 | 37 | 59 | 192 |
| 7. Act on the Status and Rights of Patients (785/1992) | A | 3.32 | 3.00 | 0.97 | 26 | 13 | 211 | 9. | 3,58 | 4.00 | 0.52 | 39 | 59 | 199 |
| 8. Discussion with the patient | D | 3,31 | 3.00 | 1.06 | 24 | 16 | 211 | 3. | 3.68 | 4.00 | 0.50 | 29 | 69 | 204 |
| 9. Organisation’s explicitly stated values or ethical principles | I | 3.29 | 3.00 | 1.02 | 33 | 11 | 209 | 24. | 3.34 | 3.00 | 0.70 | 41 | 46 | 185 |
| 10. Work shift planning | W | 3.29 | 3.00 | 1.19 | 32 | 16 | 205 | 20. | 3.46 | 4.00 | 0.63 | 40 | 53 | 181 |
| 11. Changes in operational practices | W | 3.28 | 3.00 | 0.70 | 34 | 2 | 214 | 8. | 3.60 | 4.00 | 0.51 | 38 | 61 | 205 |
| 12. Negotiating with all parties involved in the problem | D | 3.26 | 3.00 | 1.02 | 27 | 13 | 209 | 2. | 3.71 | 4.00 | 0.49 | 26 | 72 | 202 |
| 13. Work unit-specific explicitly stated values or ethical principles | I | 3.25 | 3.00 | 1.17 | 33 | 14 | 206 | 18. | 3.47 | 4.00 | 0.61 | 41 | 53 | 179 |
| 14. Debriefing problematic situations in a working group | D | 3.17 | 3.00 | 1.08 | 24 | 14 | 210 | 7. | 3.61 | 4.00 | 0.57 | 30 | 65 | 194 |
| 15. Rearrangement of work duties within a unit | W | 3.15 | 3.00 | 0.83 | 31 | 3 | 214 | 15. | 3.51 | 4.00 | 0.54 | 45 | 53 | 199 |
| 16. Discussing with the patient’s family members | D | 3.14 | 3.00 | 1.09 | 27 | 12 | 205 | 5. | 3.62 | 4.00 | 0.54 | 32 | 65 | 191 |
| 17. Health Care Act (1326/2010) | A | 3.10 | 3.00 | 1.02 | 25 | 9 | 208 | 16. | 3.49 | 4.00 | 0.57 | 43 | 53 | 181 |
| 18. Discussing with other health care professionals | D | 3.08 | 3.00 | 0.86 | 24 | 5 | 212 | 21. | 3.42 | 3.00 | 0.58 | 49 | 46 | 200 |
| 19. Professional codes of ethics | I | 2.88 | 3.00 | 1.04 | 16 | 9 | 210 | 26. | 3.31 | 3.00 | 0.66 | 48 | 42 | 181 |
| 20. Work rotation | W | 2.86 | 3.00 | 0.96 | 23 | 3 | 213 | 10. | 3.56 | 4.00 | 0.56 | 37 | 59 | 187 |
| 21. Personal Data Act (523/1999) | A | 2.79 | 3.00 | 1.09 | 16 | 8 | 207 | 19. | 3.47 | 4.00 | 0.58 | 44 | 51 | 177 |
| 22. Use of extra personnel | W | 2.76 | 3.00 | 0.99 | 22 | 2 | 211 | 23. | 3.38 | 3.00 | 0.68 | 41 | 49 | 180 |
| 23. Some other act | A | 2.65 | 3.00 | 1.38 | 21 | 11 | 113 | 14. | 3.53 | 4.00 | 0.57 | 40 | 56 | 80 |
| 24. Rearrangement of work duties between units | W | 2.65 | 3.00 | 0.94 | 19 | 0 | 211 | 22. | 3.38 | 3.00 | 0.56 | 54 | 42 | 178 |
| 25. Occupational health and safety organisation | O | 2.62 | 3.00 | 0.90 | 12 | 2 | 214 | 35. | 3.03 | 3.00 | 0.73 | 52 | 26 | 183 |
| 26. Professional guidance | O | 2.57 | 3.00 | 1.08 | 18 | 3 | 211 | 25. | 3.33 | 3.00 | 0.66 | 47 | 43 | 184 |
| 27. Ethics literature, articles | I | 2.56 | 3.00 | 0.91 | 13 | 1 | 210 | 30. | 3.21 | 3.00 | 0.63 | 58 | 32 | 170 |
| 28. Occupational health care | O | 2.55 | 3.00 | 0.95 | 14 | 1 | 214 | 36. | 3.03 | 3.00 | 0.78 | 47 | 29 | 180 |
| 29. The ETENE ethical recommendations for health care | I | 2.38 | 2.00 | 1.02 | 12 | 1 | 205 | 28. | 3.26 | 3.00 | 0.64 | 54 | 36 | 145 |
| 30. Participation in training concerning ethics | O | 2.36 | 2.00 | 0.81 | 8 | 0 | 210 | 29. | 3.23 | 3.00 | 0.65 | 56 | 34 | 173 |
| 31. Code of ethics for nurse managers | I | 2.34 | 2.00 | 1.04 | 12 | 2 | 199 | 31. | 3.16 | 3.00 | 0.69 | 52 | 33 | 135 |
| 32. Regulation of patient flow | W | 2.32 | 2.00 | 1.12 | 9 | 5 | 199 | 32. | 3.09 | 3.00 | 0.79 | 51 | 31 | 147 |
| 33. Transferring a person to another unit | W | 2.27 | 2.00 | 0.82 | 4 | 0 | 211 | 27. | 3.31 | 3.00 | 0.65 | 50 | 41 | 171 |
| 34. Mental Health Act (1116/1990) | A | 2.26 | 2.00 | 1.21 | 9 | 7 | 202 | 17. | 3.48 | 4.00 | 0.65 | 40 | 55 | 128 |
| 35. Ethics-related introductions in meetings | D | 1.99 | 2.00 | 0.92 | 3 | 1 | 208 | 33. | 3.05 | 3.00 | 0.67 | 60 | 23 | 120 |
| 36. Theologian or other specialist in spiritual matters | O | 1.78 | 2.00 | 0.90 | 4 | 0 | 210 | 38. | 2.93 | 3.00 | 0.80 | 57 | 21 | 126 |
| 37. Ethics checklists | I | 1.60 | 1.00 | 0.86 | 3 | 1 | 196 | 34. | 3.05 | 3.00 | 0.76 | 54 | 27 | 84 |
| 38. Ethics specialist | O | 1.24 | 1.00 | 0.56 | 1 | 0 | 200 | 37. | 2.97 | 3.00 | 0.77 | 55 | 23 | 65 |
| 39. Ethics committee dealing with nursing solutions (excluding research ethics) | O | 1.23 | 1.00 | 0.51 | 2 | 0 | 200 | 39. | 2.88 | 3.00 | 0.81 | 47 | 23 | 66 |
| 40. Keeping an ethics journal | D | 1.16 | 1.00 | 0.40 | 0 | 0 | 207 | 40. | 2.49 | 2.00 | 0.93 | 34 | 15 | 74 |
categories: D Discussions and deliberation, W Work arrangements, A Acts and degrees, I Written instructions and ethical principles, O Outside experts
aHigher values mean more often
b Higher values mean more useful