Moral Distress, Professional Burnout, and Potential Staff Turnover in Intensive Care Nursing Practice in Latvia—Phase 1

Bibliographic Data

ID15501435
AuthorsOlga Cerela-Boltunova (0000-0001-8258-2005, Riga Stradiņš University, corresponding author), Inga Millere (0000-0002-0219-1520, Riga Stradiņš University), Evija Nagle (0000-0001-9288-7953, Riga Stradiņš University)
Year2025
Volume22
Issue8
Pages1261-1261
Publication date2025-08-12
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph22081261
PMID40869846
OpenAlexW4413189205
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited54

Burnout and moral distress are increasingly recognized as critical challenges within healthcare systems, particularly in high-stress environments such as intensive care units (ICUs). This cross-sectional study investigates the prevalence and interrelationships of moral distress, burnout, and turnover intentions among ICU nurses in Latvia, a country facing significant nursing shortages and structural workforce challenges. A total of 155 ICU nurses completed validated instruments assessing moral distress, the three subscales of burnout (personal, work-related, and client-related), and intentions to leave the profession. The results indicate that 68.2% of respondents experienced moderate to high levels of moral distress, especially related to providing aggressive treatment contrary to clinical judgment. Burnout scores were highest in the personal and work-related dimensions, with emotional exhaustion strongly correlated with moral distress. Approximately 30% of participants reported active intentions to leave their positions. Regression and mediation analyses confirmed that moral distress significantly predicted both burnout and turnover intentions, with burnout partially mediating this relationship. These findings highlight urgent risks not only to nurse well-being but also to healthcare quality and sustainability. This study underscores the importance of systemic interventions, including structured workload assessment tools, psychological support, and ethical consultation services. The results contribute to the international literature and offer context-specific insights for workforce resilience in Eastern European health systems

Burnout · Context (archaeology · Distress · Emotional exhaustion · Health care · Nurse education · Nursing shortage · Psychological intervention · Psychological resilience · Workforce · Workload · Clinical Psychology · Disaster Response and Management · Ethics in medical practice · Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Social Psychology