Reflective Debriefs as a Response to Moral Distress: Two Case Study Examples.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Ethics
• Psychology
• Professional Well-being

Background:

• Moral distress significantly impacts healthcare professionals.
• Existing debriefing methods offer potential benefits but may not fully address ethical complexities.
• A need exists for specialized interventions to mitigate moral distress in clinical settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and describe Moral Distress Reflective Debriefs (MDRD) as an intervention.
• To explore the theoretical underpinnings and practical application of MDRD.
• To highlight the role of clinical ethicists in facilitating MDRD.

Main Methods:

• Review of critical incident stress debriefing and psychological debriefing literature.
• Description of the MDRD facilitation process for morally distressing patient cases.
• Focus on perspective-taking and ethical attunement within group discussions.

Main Results:

• MDRD is a promising approach for mitigating moral distress.
• The process helps reduce negative emotional effects like frustration and anger.
• MDRD complements ethics consultation services.

Conclusions:

• Moral Distress Reflective Debriefs provide a structured, supportive environment for clinicians.
• Facilitation by clinical ethicists enhances ethical attunement and perspective-taking.
• This modality effectively addresses and mitigates moral distress in healthcare professionals.