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https://theconversation.com/moral-injury-what-happens-when-exhausted-health-workers-can-no-longer-provide-the-care-they-want-for-their-patients-185485>
"Healthcare workers in New Zealand already face life-and-death decisions daily.
But as multiple winter illnesses add pressure to a system already stretched by
COVID, staff now also have to deal with daily abuse, acute staff shortages and
unsafe working conditions. At times, they cannot provide the care they would
like for their patients.
The impact on health workers is often described as stress and burnout. The
consequences of this prolonged pressure can be seen in the number of doctors,
nurses and other health professionals leaving their jobs for overseas positions
and the private sector, or being lost to their professions completely.
Many of these healthcare workers may well be suffering from a more serious form
of psychological distress than burnout: moral injury.
Moral injury refers to the psychological, social and spiritual impact of events
on a person who holds strong values (such as caring for patients) and operates
in high-stakes situations (hospital emergency care), but has to act in a way
inconsistent with those values.
Examples include having to turn patients away despite them being in pain or
discomfort; being unable to provide adequate care due to staff shortages;
having to care for a dying patient isolated from their loved ones while wearing
full protective gear."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
