[Moral case deliberation: dialogical inquiry as a vehicle for continuous learning and good care]

Abstract

Background: Professionals committed to good mental health care may experience different types of moral questions.

Aim: To describe a specific conversation method for jointly discussing these moral questions: moral case deliberation.

Method: Literature review and ethical reflection.

Results: The paper presents, among other things: what characterizes a good moral question, the importance of a view on (appropriate and inappropriate use of) ethics and moral case deliberation for its implementation, goals and results of moral case deliberation, and some recent developments regarding innovative use of moral case deliberation. Moral deliberation is nowadays an indispensable quality instrument in mental health care.

Conclusion: Scientific evaluation research shows that moral case deliberation directly or indirectly contributes to professional self-care, cooperation, and, last but not least, the quality of care.