An estimated one in six doctors working in UK paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The finding comes from an online survey of staff working in 29 PICUs and 10 PICU transport services in the UK, carried out in April-May 2018. A total of 1,656 staff completed the survey – 1,194 nurses, 270 physicians and 192 others.
The Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R) was used to look at moral distress. The abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to examine the depersonalisation and emotional exhaustion domains of burnout, and the Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ) to assess risk of PTSD.
Approximately 18 per cent of physicians scored above the threshold for moral distress (≥90 on MDS-R). This compared to 36 per cent of nurses and 10 per cent of other staff (P<.00001). Burnout scores were high in 37 per cent of doctors, 50 per cent of nurses and 45 per cent of other staff (P=.0004).
Close to 16 per cent (42/270) of doctors scored at risk for PTSD, as did 31 per cent of nurses and 11 per cent of other staff (P<.00001).
Junior doctors were at the highest risk of burnout while junior nurses were at the highest risk of moral distress.
Larger unit size was associated with higher MDS-R, burnout and TSQ scores.
Writing in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, the authors said the results suggest that UK PICU staff are experiencing work-related distress. The say further studies are needed to understand causation and to develop strategies for prevention and treatment.
