• Christina Lamb, Yolanda Babenko-Mould, Marilyn Evans, Carol A Wong, and Ken W Kirkwood.
• Western University, Canada.
• Nurs Ethics. 2019 Aug 1; 26 (5): 1337-1349.

BackgroundWhile conscientious objection is a well-known phenomenon in normative and bioethical literature, there is a lack of evidence to support an understanding of what it is like for nurses to make a conscientious objection in clinical practice including the meaning this holds for them and the nursing profession.Research QuestionThe question guiding this research was: what is the lived experience of conscientious objection for Registered Nurses in Ontario?Research DesignInterpretive phenomenological methodology was used to gain an in-depth understanding of what it means to be a nurse making a conscientious objection. Purposive sampling with in-depth interview methods was used to collect and then analyze data through an iterative process.Participants And Research ContextEight nurse participants were interviewed from across practice settings in Ontario, Canada. Each participant was interviewed twice over 9 months.Ethical ConsiderationsThis study was conducted in accordance with Health Science Research Ethics Board approval and all participants gave consent.FindingsSix themes emerged from data analysis: encountering the problem, knowing oneself, taking a stand, alone and uncertain, caring for others, and perceptions of support.DiscussionThis study offers an initial understanding of what it is like to be a nurse making a conscientious objection in clinical practice. Implications for nursing practice, education, policy, and further research are discussed.ConclusionAddressing ethical issues in nursing practice is complex. The need for education across nursing, healthcare disciplines and socio-political sectors is essential to respond to nurses' ethical concerns giving rise to objections. Conscience emerged as an informant to nurses' conscientious objections. The need for morally inclusive environments and addressing challenging ethical questions as well as the concept of conscience are relevant to advancing nursing ethics and ethical nursing practice.

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