The weight they carry: Managing the impact of moral injury on first responders and other public safety personnel

In the context of public safety, moral injury describes the psychological, emotional, and/or spiritual harm that one might experience as a result of events or situations that transgress one’s deeply held morals, ethics, or values. First responders and other public safety personnel (PSP) are routinely called upon to make rapid decisions during complex crisis situations. These situations often involve multiple conflicting responsibilities, uncertainty, and ambiguity, which can have profound moral implications. Potentially morally injurious events (PMIE) can take various forms, including exposure to actions, inactions, or events that violate a person’s beliefs of right and wrong, betrayal by a trusted person, leadership shortcomings, or organizational failures.

A growing body of research highlights the ways that frequent exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTE) can negatively impact the mental health and wellbeing of PSP, and contribute to the development of operational, or posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSI). Similarly, exposure to one or more PMIE can result in moral injury that may be associated with mental health challenges.

This panel discussion will discuss the profound impacts of moral injury on PSP, as well as emergent guidelines for supporting and treating individuals negatively impacted by the moral weight of their service.

April 18, 2024.