A nurse expresses guilt and anger after caring for multiple severely injured patients during a staffing crisis. This behavior is most consistent with which condition?

A nurse expresses guilt and anger after caring for multiple severely injured patients during a staffing crisis. This behavior is most consistent with which condition?

• A. Burnout
• B. Moral injury
• C. Secondary traumatic stress
• D. Compassion fatigue

Answer: (B)

The nurse's feelings of guilt and anger in response to caring for multiple severely injured patients indicate a struggle with moral injury. This condition arises when healthcare professionals face situations that conflict with their moral beliefs or ethical standards, leading to intense feelings of distress. In this scenario, the nurse's emotional turmoil is likely stemming from the inability to provide the level of care they believe is necessary due to overwhelming circumstances, such as a staffing crisis. This dissonance between their professional obligations and the realities of their work environment creates a sense of guilt and frustration, characteristic of moral injury. Understanding moral injury in this context is crucial, as it speaks to the deeper emotional and ethical challenges faced by healthcare workers. The nurse's experience reflects a profound internal conflict about providing care under duress, leading to feelings of inadequacy or compromise in their professional values. This condition emphasizes the psychological impact of crises in the healthcare environment, particularly when providers feel they cannot meet their professional standards or ethical commitments.

The nurse's feelings of guilt and anger in response to caring for multiple severely injured patients indicate a struggle with moral injury. This condition arises when healthcare professionals face situations that conflict with their moral beliefs or ethical standards, leading to intense feelings of distress. In this scenario, the nurse's emotional turmoil is likely stemming from the inability to provide the level of care they believe is necessary due to overwhelming circumstances, such as a staffing crisis. This dissonance between their professional obligations and the realities of their work environment creates a sense of guilt and frustration, characteristic of moral injury.

Understanding moral injury in this context is crucial, as it speaks to the deeper emotional and ethical challenges faced by healthcare workers. The nurse's experience reflects a profound internal conflict about providing care under duress, leading to feelings of inadequacy or compromise in their professional values. This condition emphasizes the psychological impact of crises in the healthcare environment, particularly when providers feel they cannot meet their professional standards or ethical commitments.