A Phenomenological Exploration of Nursing Faculty’s Experiences of Ethical Challenges in Their Administrative Duties

Abstract

Nurses in all practice settings experienced ethical challenges. The ANA further detailed the role of nursing administrative role functions in Nursing Administration: Scope and Standards of Practice (2016) and was largely written for nursing administrative roles in clinical settings. Nursing education literature focused on ethical challenges between the nurse faculty/student or nurse faculty/nurse faculty relationships. Subsequently there was limited guidance for how nursing educators should navigate ethical issues within their academic duties. The results of this study attempted to address gaps in nursing literature and respond to the international and domestic nursing code of ethics call for increased awareness, ethical leadership development, and application of nursing ethics in all settings. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of BSN and RN-BSN nursing educators with ethical challenges as they related to their administrative responsibilities in higher education, as well as potential ethical challenges as they pertained to the nursing program accreditation process. This study utilized hermeneutic, interpretive phenomenological design. The primary units of data collection within phenomenology consisted of a small number of individuals, primarily through in-depth, cross-sectional interviews. The results of this study suggested that when administrators encountered ethical challenges in their administrative duties, they included issues related to nursing program operations, legal and regulatory issues, and safety and risk management. Administrators were more likely than faculty to encounter conflicting regulatory requirements from NRB and specific concerns related to CCNE’s Standard IIE. The specific sub-themes included conflicts with CCNE and NRB, COVID vaccine policies, competing loyalties, and leadership transitions.