Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
The collective experience of moral distress: a qualitative analysis of perspectives of frontline health workers during COVID-19. |
| Authors: |
Lewis, Sophie1 (AUTHOR) sophie.lewis@sydney.edu.au, Willis, Karen2 (AUTHOR), Smallwood, Natasha3 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: |
Philosophy, Ethics & Humanities in Medicine. 1/9/2025, Vol. 20 Issue 1, p1-11. 11p. |
| Subject Terms: |
*FRONTLINE personnel, *MEDICAL personnel, *COVID-19 pandemic, *COGNITIVE psychology, *PSYCHOLOGICAL distress |
| Abstract: |
Background: Moral distress is reported to be a critical force contributing to intensifying rates of anxiety, depression and burnout experienced by healthcare workers. In this paper, we examine the moral dilemmas and ensuing distress personally and collectively experienced by healthcare workers while caring for patients during the pandemic. Methods: Data are drawn from free-text responses from a cross-sectional national online survey of Australian healthcare workers about the patient care challenges they faced. Results: Three themes were derived from qualitative content analysis that illuminated the ways in which moral dilemmas and distress were relationally experienced by healthcare workers: (1) the moral ambiguity of how to care well for patients amid a rapidly changing work environment; (2) the distress of witnessing suffering shared between healthcare workers and patients; and (3) the distress of performing new forms of invisible work in the absence of institutional recognition. These findings reveal that moral distress was a strongly shared experience. Conclusions: Findings advance understandings of moral distress as a relational experience, collectively felt, constituted, and experienced by healthcare workers. Considering how to harness collective solidarity in effectively responding to moral distress experienced across the frontline healthcare workforce is critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|
Copyright of Philosophy, Ethics & Humanities in Medicine is the property of BioMed Central and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| Database: |
Academic Search Complete |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests. |
Login for full access.
|
