Which term describes a situation where personal or institutional factors hinder ethical decision-making?

The term that describes a situation in which personal or institutional factors hinder ethical decision-making is ethical distress. This situation arises when a rehabilitation technician or healthcare provider knows the ethically appropriate action to take but feels constrained by circumstances such as organizational policies, lack of support, or personal beliefs that conflict with their values.

For example, a technician may recognize the need for a patient's care to be adjusted based on ethical considerations but feels unable to advocate for that change due to institutional rules or pressures from colleagues. This internal conflict and the resulting inability to act according to one’s ethical beliefs can lead to feelings of frustration and moral uncertainty, which is quintessential to the experience of ethical distress.

In contrast, other terms such as ethical violation refer to actions that directly contravene ethical standards, value conflict pertains to disagreements between differing personal or social values, and informed consent issues often involve concerns related to patient autonomy and understanding in the decision-making process. These concepts are related but do not capture the essence of the barriers to ethical decision-making that ethical distress represents.