Original version

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

Health Check

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

Health Check: The impact on doctors and nurses of making difficult medical decisions

Magazines & Reviews

The impact on doctors and nurses of making difficult medical decisions

2020/04/15 GMT

BBC World Service - Health Check, The impact on doctors and nurses of making difficult medical decisions

The “moral injury” felt by staff making difficult decisions during the Covid-19 pandemic

Making difficult decisions when hospitals are overwhelmed can put healthcare workers at risk of mental health problems; lockdown in Chile; lessons from Antarctica on isolation.

When hospitals are overcrowded with Covid-19 patients and doctors have to prioritise who to treat first it can leave them with feelings of “moral injury” – putting them at risk of developing mental health problems. The feelings of anger, shame and guilt can result in irritability and adopting a negative slant on life. Making difficult decisions quickly is seen a lot in the armed services. Neil Greenberg, Professor of Defence Mental Health at Kings College London, explains how he's applying lessons from research in the military to support staff during the pandemic. 

More than 3 billion people around the world are living in some kind of lockdown. In Chile’s capital Santiago richer neighbourhoods have been quarantined following reports of staff working for families there taking the virus back to their homes in poorer neighbourhoods. 

And if you are struggling with enforced isolation designed to protect your community from infection - we hear from a doctor who studied scientists in Antarctica to see how they coped living in close proximity to colleagues for months on end, many in total darkness. She says social media and keeping a private space for herself really helped. 
 
Presenter: Claudia Hammond 
Producer: Paula McGrath

(Image: A medical professional places their hand on a colleague's shoulder during the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Images.)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Health Check

The impact on doctors and nurses of making difficult medical decisions

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

About BBC World Service