COVID-19 Pandemic Highlights Ethical Problems for Healthcare Workers

Strategic Insights -

A new study from Brazil's Federal University Santa Catarina has highlighted the experiences of moral distress among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers carried out virtual interviews with 31 healthcare workers in triage centers in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, and found that the pandemic triggered new ethical problems that deserve attention. The study used Wilkinson's framework to analyze the data and identified moral harassment, moral impediment, and other reasons that led to moral distress among the workers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic has created new ethical problems for healthcare workers, including moral distress, which affects their well-being and performance.
  • The study found that healthcare workers experienced moral harassment, moral impediment, and other reasons that led to moral distress, including feelings of moral anguish and ineffective coping strategies.
  • The research concluded that moral deliberation can be a coping strategy for healthcare workers experiencing moral distress.
  • The study was funded by Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) and was carried out in collaboration with the Federal University Santa Catarina.
  • The researchers used a qualitative study design, including virtual interviews and content analysis with ATLAS-ti software, to collect and analyze the data.
  • The study highlights the need for addressing the ethical problems faced by healthcare workers during the pandemic, including moral distress, to ensure their well-being and ability to provide effective care.

Statistics:

  • 31 healthcare workers participated in the study.
  • The study was carried out in triage centers in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
  • The research was funded by Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) to the tune of 1,000 reais (approximately $240 USD).

Sources:

*adoras, NewsRx. "Findings from Federal University Santa Catarina Yields New Data on COVID-19 (Moral Distress Experienced By Healthcare Workers In Covid-19 Triage Centers, Blumenau-sc, 2021)." Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA. August 3, 2025.