Leadership, professional quality of life and moral distress during COVID‐19: A mixed‐methods approach

Ness, Michelle M.; Saylor, Jennifer; DiFusco, Leigh Ann; Evans, Kristen

AIM: To understand the impact of professional stressors on nurses' and other health care providers' professional quality of life and moral distress as they cared for patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: Health care providers caring for patients during the COVID‐19 pandemic are at increased risk of decreased professional quality of life and increased moral distress. METHODS: A convergent mixed‐methods design and snowball sampling was used to collect survey data (n = 171) and semi‐structured interviews (n = 23) among health care providers working in the inpatient setting. RESULTS: Perceived lack of support from executive leadership, access to personal protective equipment and constantly changing guidelines led to decreased professional quality of life and increased moral distress among health care providers. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study indicate that shared governance, disaster management training and enhanced communication may assist executive leadership to reduce the likelihood of decreased professional quality of life and increased moral distress in front line health care providers. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Following the principles of shared governance may assist executive leadership to promote and acknowledge the significance of the role of health care providers at the bedside. Additionally, disaster management training and open communication are crucial to ensure that health care providers are adequately informed and supported at the bedside.