Changes in the routine work and moral distress in psychiatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic : A survey among physicians active in inpatient care in Germany

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic anumber of ethical challenges have arisen in the healthcare system. Apsychological response to moral challenges is termed moral distress (MD). Identification of causes of MD in inpatient psychiatric care in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Asurvey was conducted using aself-administered non-validated online questionnaire as part of across-sectional study, in which 26items about the experience of MD were examined and open questions about the handling of the pandemic and its effects on everyday work were posed. Physicians who worked in inpatient psychiatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany were surveyed anonymously with aconvenience sample. The data acquisition took place between 17 November 2020 and 6 May 2021. A total of 141participants were included. They indicated multiple pandemic-related changes in their daily work partly resulting in MD. MD is aneglected potential burden of inpatient psychiatric care under pandemic conditions (and beyond), which requires further research and an adequate handling. These results include implications for decision makers in crisis teams as well as aneed for support services such as clinical ethics consultation services.