Table 2 Sources of moral distress with median score greater than zero
Experience | Median* | Mean |
|---|---|---|
Experience compromised patient care due to lack of resources/equipment/bed capacity. | 3 | 4.2 |
Witness low quality of patient care due to poor team communication. | 3 | 3.8 |
Follow the family’s insistence to continue aggressive treatment even though I believe it is not in the best interest of the patient. | 3 | 3.7 |
Be required to care for more patients than I can safely care for. | 2 | 3.8 |
Watch patient care suffer because of a lack of provider continuity. | 2 | 3.4 |
Have excessive documentation requirements that compromise patient care. | 1 | 3.7 |
Experience lack of administrative action or support for a problem that is compromising patient care. | 1 | 3.3 |
Fear retribution if I speak up. | 1 | 3.2 |
Feel pressured to order or carry out orders for what I consider to be unnecessary or inappropriate tests and treatments. | 1 | 2.8 |
Participate on a team that gives inconsistent messages to a patient/family. | 1 | 2.8 |
Be unable to provide optimal care due to pressures from administrators or insurers to reduce costs. | 1 | 2.8 |
Be required to care for patients who have unclear or inconsistent treatment plans or who lack goals of care. | 1 | 2.8 |
Be required to work with abusive patients/family members who are compromising quality of care. | 1 | 2.8 |
Be required to work with other healthcare team members who are not as competent as patient care requires. | 1 | 2.4 |
Witness healthcare providers giving “false hope” to a patient or family. | 1 | 2.2 |