HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED MORAL DISTRESS WHILE WORKING FOR UVA HEALTH?

We’ve heard several alarming stories over the past year from our friends, doctors, and nurses who have experienced moral distress while working in healthcare.

Each one of the stories is heartbreaking.

We’ve watched some of UVA’s strongest healthcare providers fight back tears when describing the actions of UVA Health’s senior leaders.

We’ve listened as some of UVA School of Medicine’s most respected faculty have described sleepless nights wondering if they’d be fired for questioning UVA’s leadership, raising concerns about patient safety, and trying to protect their trainees.

We’ve been dismayed reading story after story of the despair our doctors and nurses have felt working under a cloud of fear while trying to care for their patients and teach their trainees.

So we ask…

How many instances of moral distress are too many?

And if you’re asking yourself — What’s moral distress? — one of our friends and doctors described moral distress to us as follows…

People talk about how doctors get burned out because there's too much paperwork and not enough time to see all their patients. But in my experience, we get burnt out by feeling moral distress when we are unable to help our patients.

Because that’s why we went into medicine — to care for our patients. And if we feel like we don’t have the resources or structure or support to care for each patient…and that our leaders have put up walls that prevent us from giving the best care possible to our patients…that’s what causes moral distress.

On top of that, when our focus and energy are drained by dealing with the consequences of speaking up about our concerns or fearing what will happen to us if we don’t hit metrics or fundraise enough donations off our patients…all of that negative energy takes time away from thinking about our patients. And the feeling of not being able to do everything we can for our patients becomes a force that we don’t have control over.

For those of you who are skeptical that your doctors, nurses, and colleagues are telling the truth… and for those of you who want to see the evidence…

All of it is going to come out publicly.

And for those of you who have experienced moral distress, we’re so sorry. It is unacceptable, it must stop, and there must be accountability.

Please know that we’re in this fight with you until each of you are free to do your jobs to the best of your ability, care for your patients, and teach your trainees with the peace of mind knowing that at the end of another long day, you’ll be able to sleep soundly.

If you, your colleagues, family, friends, doctors, nurses, and/or hospital staff have experienced moral distress while working in healthcare, please message us below or email FightingForUVAHealth@proton.me.

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What is going on at UVA Health?

We are Concerned Citizens of Charlottesville and Patients of UVA Health who are troubled by what we have heard from many UVA Health professionals over the past year.

These professionals are not only our doctors and nurses but also our friends, family and neighbors. We believe our community should value and protect its health care workers who have dedicated their lives to helping UVA patients.

A Parrhesiastes is someone who speaks the truth in a clear and honest way…

It's about the courage to speak one’s mind even when it's difficult or unpopular…to prioritize truth over social niceties or personal gain...

But speaking the truth can be dangerous. A Parrhesiastes understands this risk and is willing to face the consequences, from social disapproval to vindictive employers or even violence...

Because ultimately Parrhesiastes act out of a sense of duty.

They believe speaking the truth is necessary for the greater good and to protect the people and institution they love.