Moral distress among intensive care unit professions in the UK: a mixed-methods study.
Adam Jonathan BoultonAnne-Marie SlowtherJoyce YeungChristopher BassfordPublished in: BMJ open (2023)
Moral distress is widespread among UK ICU professionals and can have an important negative impact on patient care, professional wellbeing and staff retention, a particularly concerning finding as this study was performed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moral distress due to resource-related issues is more severe than comparable studies in North America. Interventions to support professionals should recognise the individualistic nature of coping with moral distress. The value of close-knit teams and supportive environments has implications for how intensive care services are organised.