Abstract / Description of output
Background:
Moral distress (MD) refers to psychological unease when healthcare professionals identify morally correct actions to take but are constrained in their ability to take those actions.
Methods:
This study evaluated the relationship between out-of-hours decisions and MD among 40 Foundation Year 2 (FY2) doctors. They were asked to choose the ‘expected’ and the ‘right’ management options for five out-of-hours scenarios and complete an adapted Measure of Moral Distress for Health Professionals (MMD-HP) questionnaire.
Results:
28/40 (70%) reported discordance between ‘expected’ and ‘right’ options more frequently than concordance. The mean total MMD-HP score was low: 64.9 (SD = 26.9), range 13–143, maximum 288. The association between decision-making discordance and MMD-HP score was weak.
Conclusion:
Out-of-hours decisions by FY2 doctors were characterised by doing what is ‘expected’ rather than what is perceived to be ‘right’. Providing guidance regarding decision-making in deteriorating patients is needed for patient safety and staff well-being.
Moral distress (MD) refers to psychological unease when healthcare professionals identify morally correct actions to take but are constrained in their ability to take those actions.
Methods:
This study evaluated the relationship between out-of-hours decisions and MD among 40 Foundation Year 2 (FY2) doctors. They were asked to choose the ‘expected’ and the ‘right’ management options for five out-of-hours scenarios and complete an adapted Measure of Moral Distress for Health Professionals (MMD-HP) questionnaire.
Results:
28/40 (70%) reported discordance between ‘expected’ and ‘right’ options more frequently than concordance. The mean total MMD-HP score was low: 64.9 (SD = 26.9), range 13–143, maximum 288. The association between decision-making discordance and MMD-HP score was weak.
Conclusion:
Out-of-hours decisions by FY2 doctors were characterised by doing what is ‘expected’ rather than what is perceived to be ‘right’. Providing guidance regarding decision-making in deteriorating patients is needed for patient safety and staff well-being.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 239-246 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 24 Oct 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2023 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- deteriorating patient
- health psychology
- medical decision-making
- moral distress
- trainee doctors