Vicarious spiritual distress in intensive care unit healthcare providers: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the impact of caring for family members experiencing spiritual distress on Intensive Care Unit healthcare providers.

Design: A qualitative study involving interviews and focus groups between May 2016 and April 2017.

Participants: Intensive care healthcare providers from nine teaching and three non-teaching units across Alberta, Canada.

Measurements: Transcribed data were analysed using interpretive description.

Findings: Forty-two participants variably described experiences of vicarious spiritual distress, along with coping strategies and outcomes related to these experiences. Vicarious spiritual distress was experienced as sorrow/distress, helplessness and preoccupation/rumination. Coping strategies were both adaptive (self-awareness/reflection, reframing/resiliency, team support/debriefing, self-care, accepting limitations) and maladaptive (compartmentalising/distancing, substance use). Lastly, the emotional burden of these experiences resulted in both favourable (satisfaction, appreciation) and unfavourable (moral distress, burnout, hopelessness) outcomes.

Conclusion: Our findings describe the novel concept of vicarious spiritual distress as experienced by intensive care healthcare providers and highlight the importance of identifying effective ways to support these professionals throughout their careers to prevent unfavorable outcomes and the perpetuation of maladaptive coping strategies. The adaptive coping strategies described in this study may help inform wellness initiatives and resiliency training tailored to intensive care healthcare providers.

Keywords: Burnout; Debriefing; Distancing; Family; Helplessness; Intensive care unit; Moral distress; Rumination; Self-reflection; Spiritual distress.