Ethox Seminar - Understanding Moral Injury in Healthcare: A Conceptual Analysis from the Clinic
Dr Isabel Hanson, DPhil candidate, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Sciences, University of Oxford, Clinical Lecturer, GP Clinical School, University of Sydney, and Andrew Markus Visiting Scholar 2023
Tuesday, 10 December 2024, 11am to 12.30pm
This will be a hybrid seminar in the Big Data Institute, Lower Ground Seminar Rooms (0&1), or on Zoom (see joining link below).
Abstract
What does it mean to experience moral injury in healthcare? In this seminar, Dr Isabel Hanson will examine whether the concept of moral injury is fit for purpose in driving meaningful health system improvements.
The term “moral injury” has evolved over time, with increasingly broad definitions emerging across psychology, philosophy, and health systems research. This conceptual expansion raises questions about its analytical and practical value. While moral injury focuses on the experiences of individual, in healthcare many of its root causes are systemic, including the lack or ineffective allocation of resources, overwork, poor workforce support, and cultures of emotional suppression.
The distress experienced by healthcare workers is real and urgent; it demands targeted, compassionate interventions to alleviate suffering. Overly broad definitions of moral injury risk obscuring the specific systemic factors at play, thereby hindering the development of effective health policy responses.
This seminar will aim to combine conceptual analysis with an empathic and generative discussion, creating space to explore how we can best understand and address the experiences of healthcare workers in distress.
Zoom link: https://medsci.zoom.us/j/97040088667