staff shortage

Structural issues causing moral distress for women in the health care industry

By: Pranjali J Mann, News Writer A recent study conducted by SFU health sciences assistant professor, Julia Smith, found women in health care experienced increased moral distress during the pandemic.  During COVID-19, staffing shortages and a lack of access to necessary equipment — like personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and masks — was found to increase moral distress in 2020 and 2021. The study also indicated that “at home, women experienced moral constraints related to inability to support children’s education and well-being.”  Moral distress, a central theme of the research, pointed to a situation “when you know the ethically correct…

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