Ethical Decision-Making in Complicated Times
The world has gotten pretty complicated. No matter your work or home life, you are likely at least occasionally to encounter an ethical dilemma. Ethics are the moral standards by which we live our lives and are informed by factors such as our family, culture, education, and spiritual beliefs. An ethical dilemma is created when you are confronted with a choice between two or more actions, and any course you take is likely to be in conflict with a personal belief.
Am I Experiencing Moral Distress?
Most of us have felt it – that heart-racing, palm-sweating, face-flushing response to witnessing an action that goes against everything we believe in – in the moment before we decide whether to speak up. In the best case scenario, we can use these feelings to act and make changes. When we can’t or don’t act though, our internal suffering is called moral distress.