COVID-19 - Moral injury hurts

This is the 3rd in a series of 'COVID-19 Supporting Doctors' podcasts hosted jointly between Dr Rachel Morris, host of the 'You are not a Frog' podcast, and Dr Caroline Walker, host of the 'Joyful Doctor' podcast. In this episode, Caroline and Rachel talk about moral injury - what it is, how it feels and what we can do to manage it during the evolving pandemic.In these very difficult times, Caroline and Rachel are working together to bring you as much support as they can. We’ll be tackling various different topics as they emerge in order to help doctors keep their head in the game and stay focussed and resilient. In this episode, we talk about moral injury. This is the distress we feel when our actions (or lack of them) violate our moral or ethical code. Doctors are already being asked to work in ways that are alien to them and may feel quite wrong. We have been trained to care for the patient in front of us, and it becomes really hard when we have to make difficult decisions which have a huge impact. We chat about the sorts of moral injury that frontline workers may experience, the role of ethical guidance and individual decision making and discuss the sorts of symptoms you may experience if you are suffering from moral injury. Connecting with others, having regular check-ins, not neglecting the basics in caring for yourselves and your teams are ways to help prepare for what may come. If you are suffering, speaking to other people, making sure you don’t do this alone and getting the professional support and advice you need early will help. Doctors – we need you more than ever. Keep up the good work. Keep caring for yourselves and each other, Keep kind. Contact Rachel – [email protected] Twitter - @DrRachel Morris Contact Caroline – [email protected] Twitter @joyful_doctor Show notes and links: Coronavirus wellbeing support for doctors Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/77725... The Joyful Doctor Website http://www.joyfuldoctor.com/ Shapes for Doctors Website http://www.shapesfordoctors.com/ You Are Not A Frog website http://www.shapesfordoctors.com/podca... The Happiness Trap: Stop Struggling, Start Living by Russ Harris https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happiness-Tr... BMA Wellbeing Service https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/work-li... The NHS Practitioner Health Programme https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk