Influence of moral distress and secondary traumatic stress on the well-being of intensive care unit nurses

Abstract

Purpose. This study examines the impact of moral distress and secondary traumatic stress on the quality of life among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in Pakistan, with a focus on gender differences in moral distress and secondary traumatic stress. Study design. A sample of 126, including both maleand female ICU nurses, with at least one year of experience participated in the study. Data was collected in person from ICU nurses at various hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi cities of Pakistan. The Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, the Measure of Moral Distress for Healthcare Professionals, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version scales were used to assess secondary traumaticstress, moral distress, and quality of life across four domains of physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environmental health. Findings. The findings revealed that secondary traumatic stress was significantly associated with all four domains of quality of life, emphasizing the pervasive nature of this secondary trauma on ICU nurses’ overall well-being in Pakistan. Additionally, moral distress adversely influences social relationships and environmental health domains of quality of life. Notably, there were no discernible gender differences in secondary traumatic stress and quality of life.            Nevertheless, female ICU nurses reported experiencing higher levels of moral distress compared totheir male counterparts. This highlights that nurses frequently encounter moral distress and secondary traumatic stress in their workplace, and these experiences have detrimental effects on their overallquality of life. Value of results. The study findings provide valuable insights for health care management, administrators, and policymakers urging them to prioritize the well-being of nurses to mitigate thehealth risks they face from work-related challenges.