Moral Injury: How It Affects Us and Tools to Combat It

Area of Science:

• Healthcare
• Psychology
• Professional Development

Background:

• Moral injury, characterized by guilt and shame, disproportionately affects underrepresented healthcare professionals due to micro- and macroaggressions.
• There is a need for educational interventions to raise awareness and provide coping mechanisms for moral injury within the healthcare sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate an interactive workshop aimed at educating interprofessional healthcare providers about moral injury.
• To assess participant satisfaction and the perceived applicability of learned strategies for combating moral injury.

Main Methods:

• A 75-minute interactive workshop incorporating lectures, case studies, group discussions, and individual reflection was delivered.
• Anonymous post-workshop evaluations were used, collecting quantitative data for descriptive statistics and qualitative data for content analysis.

Main Results:

• High participant satisfaction was reported, with 97% finding the workshop valuable for defining and identifying moral injury.
• Nearly half of the participants felt equipped to implement strategies to address moral injury in their daily practice.
• 100% of participants would recommend the workshop to colleagues, indicating its perceived utility.

Conclusions:

• The workshop serves as an effective tool for defining and discussing moral injury within healthcare settings.
• The educational materials are adaptable for a diverse range of healthcare professionals, from students to leadership.