Ethical uncertainty and COVID-19: exploring the lived experiences of senior physicians at a major medical centre

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Public Health Crises
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic imposed unprecedented strain on healthcare systems globally.
• Urgent public health interventions highlighted complex ethical considerations.
• Understanding physician experiences during crises is crucial for future preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and explore moral dilemmas encountered by senior physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To understand how physicians navigated ethical uncertainty in a major Saudi Arabian medical center.
• To examine the self-perceived ethical support and decision-making processes during the crisis.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study design.
• Semi-structured interviews conducted with 16 senior physicians.
• Thematic analysis of interview data to identify moral challenges and coping mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Physicians were primarily motivated by a professional moral obligation to provide care.
• Most participants did not explicitly identify their challenges as ethical dilemmas.
• Physicians largely managed moral challenges autonomously, sometimes reframing them as wartime-like experiences.

Conclusions:

• Physicians demonstrated resilience and a strong sense of duty in managing ethical uncertainty.
• There is a need to better recognize and support physicians facing ethical challenges during public health emergencies.
• Learning from these experiences is vital for improving ethical support structures in healthcare.