Moral Stress in Health Care Professionals

Introduction: With the advent of modernity, today's world debates between what is objective and subjective, between the global and the individual. Achieving modernity in Mexican society, determines the presence of demographic and health transitions, characterized by the increase in infant (neonatal) mortality , aging of the population, the polarization of health problems, which are becoming more complex, resulting the vast majority in deep ethical dilemmas. Changes in the pattern of culture derived from modernity, characterize the individualistic society in less solidarity and more unequal. (Martínez, 2006; Rodríguez,  2009)

The health care professionals face a complex load (moral stress) in their professional practice in health services because they are confronted with moral and ethical challenges created by discrepancies between what they know is right, in other words the ideal and what the health system allows them to do. Objective: Understand the social representations that build physicians and nurses respect to which ethical climate factors may cause moral stress. Conceptual Framework: Moscovici states that social representations are a theoretical construct that stands among the social, psychological and the image that reproduces what is real. The perceptions and concepts are products, derivatives modes to meet the iconic and symbolic respectively. Methodology: Qualitative study within social representations framework of the perception of ethical climate and moral stress that physicians and nurses perceive and experience  through individual semi-structured interviews where they deepened into the subject  in 2 to 3 sessions with the key informants. Results: Were identified beliefs which lead to moral stress when confronted with ethical dilemmas as: Patient prognosis, lack of resources, lack of training and camaraderie, demands from family of the patient. Also were identified positive and negative emotional and affective states that are triggered and cause from satisfaction for moral fulfillment to moral stress. Recommendations: To carry out a request to authorities in order to classify moral stress as a  pathology that can actually cause temporary or permanent disability.