Moral Injury in Healthcare: Guilt, Shame and Conflicting Values

Overview

Moral injury refers to distress, guilt or shame after events that violate a person's deeply held values, whether they witnessed them or were involved. It can affect professionals facing difficult decisions.

How is it assessed?

Healthcare workers may encounter it during resource shortages, tragic outcomes or ethically painful situations. Moral injury is a concept, not automatically a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Practical next steps

Supportive conversations with trusted colleagues, psychologically safe workplaces and professional assessment may help. Organizational conditions should not be ignored when addressing the problem.

When is urgent help needed?

Severe distress, thoughts of self-harm or marked inability to function calls for prompt professional support.

Frequently asked questions

Is this information enough for a diagnosis?

No. Symptoms, examination, personal history and additional tests when needed must be considered together.

This article provides general health information and is not a substitute for individual assessment, diagnosis or treatment by a qualified professional.

Source: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/cooccurring/moral_injury.asp