A descriptive study of the multidisciplinary healthcare experiences of inpatient resuscitation events

BACKGROUND: In-hospital resuscitation events have complex and enduring effects on clinicians, with implications for job satisfaction, performance, and burnout. Ethically ambiguous cases are associated with increased moral distress. We aim to quantitatively describe the multidisciplinary resuscitation experience. METHODS: Multidisciplinary in-hospital healthcare professionals at an adult academic health center in the Midwestern United States completed surveys one and six weeks after a resuscitation event. Surveys included demographic data, task load (NASA-TLX), overall and moral distress, anxiety, depression, and spiritual peace. Spearman’s rank correlation was computed to assess task load and distress. RESULTS: During the 5-month study period, the study included 12 resuscitation events across six inpatient units. Of 82 in-hospital healthcare professionals eligible for recruitment, 44 (53.7%) completed the one-week post-resuscitation event survey. Of those, 37 (84.1%) completed the six-week survey. Highest median task load burden at one week was seen for temporal demand, effort, and mental demand. Median moral distress scores were low, while “at peace” median scores tended to be high. There were no significant non-zero changes in task load or distress scores from weeks 1–6. Mental demand (r = 0.545, p < 0.001), physical demand (r = 0.464, p = 0.005), performance (r = −0.539, p < 0.001), and frustration (r = 0.545, p < 0.001) significantly correlated with overall distress. Performance (r = −0.371, p = 0.028) and frustration (r = 0.480, p = 0.004) also significantly correlated with moral distress. CONCLUSIONS: In-hospital healthcare professionals’ experiences of resuscitation events are varied and complex. Aspects of task load burden including mental and physical demand, performance, and frustration contribute to overall and moral distress, deserving greater attention in clinical contexts.