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. 2021 Jun 17;22(1):73.
doi: 10.1186/s12910-021-00641-3.

Moral distress and ethical climate in intensive care medicine during COVID-19: a nationwide study

Moniek A Donkers #  1 , Vincent J H S Gilissen #  2 , Math J J M Candel  3 , Nathalie M van Dijk  2 , Hans Kling  4 , Ruth Heijnen-Panis  2 , Elien Pragt  2 , Iwan van der Horst  2 , Sebastiaan A Pronk  2 , Walther N K A van Mook  2   5   6
Affiliations

Moral distress and ethical climate in intensive care medicine during COVID-19: a nationwide study

Moniek A Donkers et al. BMC Med Ethics. .

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created ethical challenges for intensive care unit (ICU) professionals, potentially causing moral distress. This study explored the levels and causes of moral distress and the ethical climate in Dutch ICUs during COVID-19.

Methods: An extended version of the Measurement of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals (MMD-HP) and Ethical Decision Making Climate Questionnaire (EDMCQ) were online distributed among all 84 ICUs. Moral distress scores in nurses and intensivists were compared with the historical control group one year before COVID-19.

Results: Three hundred forty-five nurses (70.7%), 40 intensivists (8.2%), and 103 supporting staff (21.1%) completed the survey. Moral distress levels were higher for nurses than supporting staff. Moral distress levels in intensivists did not differ significantly from those of nurses and supporting staff. "Inadequate emotional support for patients and their families" was the highest-ranked cause of moral distress for all groups of professionals. Of all factors, all professions rated the ethical climate most positively regarding the culture of mutual respect, ethical awareness and support. "Culture of not avoiding end-of-life-decisions" and "Self-reflective and empowering leadership" received the lowest mean scores. Moral distress scores during COVID-19 were significantly lower for ICU nurses (p < 0.001) and intensivists (p < 0.05) compared to one year prior.

Conclusion: Levels and causes of moral distress vary between ICU professionals and differ from the historical control group. Targeted interventions that address moral distress during a crisis are desirable to improve the mental health and retention of ICU professionals and the quality of patient care.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Doctors; Ethical climate; Intensive care medicine; Intensivists; Moral distress; Nurses.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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