Nursing Ethics Consultation Service: This service is available specifically to nurses in the Clarian organization and provides informal consultation regarding ethical issues and dilemmas. This service provides a mechanism for clinical nurses to access expert ethics advice, a willing ear for processing moral distress, and expert input in managing or arbitrating inter-clinician dynamics which lead to moral distress. The service is available via direct contact with Dr. Lucia Wocial, or through “Ask the Nurse Ethicist,” a monthly column in The Synergist, a weekly electronic publication for Clarian’s 5,000 nurses.
Unit Based Ethics Conversations: Unit Based Ethics Conversations (UBECs) were created at Clarian in 2005 in response to observations of staff nurse behaviors consistent with moral distress, such as remaining silent during bedside opportunities to discuss ethically challenging situations and later revealing their distress related to the plan of care for the patient. UBECs were created to provide nurses and other patient care staff a unit based opportunity to explore ethically challenging situations encountered in clinical practice. The mission of UBECs is to create an environment with morally open space where reflective dialogue and experiential narratives are encouraged to thrive. The goal of the program is to increase participants’ abilities and confidence to deal in real time with ethically challenging situations. UBEC discussion is open, with no set agenda and driven by the concerns of those attending. Conversations may be case specific or related to recurrent issues which impact the moral life of the unit staff. UBECs are scheduled at the request of nursing leadership for any nursing unit at Clarian’s three downtown Indianapolis hospitals.
Ethics Champion: Clarian has been recognized by the Magnet Recognition Program® and as such exemplifies the best in working environments for nurses. The Fairbanks Program in Nursing Ethics is an integral part of Clarian’s plan for implementing strategies for improving the ethical components of important nursing programs and initiatives: e.g. Magnet, Safe Passage™, and Healthy Work Environments.