Resolution Strategies

The stories contain many personal strategies to resolve moral distress:

•  Sharing stories with trusted colleagues.
•  Asking parents of patients what hope means for them.
•  Sharing stories with spouses/partners.
•  Treating every case as individual; striving to understand the particular experiences of a patient
    and his or her family.
•  Marking difficult cases with a closure ritual, privately or among the team (e.g. lighting a candle,
    raising a toast, following a religious observance).
•  Engaging in a formal debriefing process in which the perspectives of all team members are heard
    and respected.
•  "Venting" to colleagues.
•  Crying.
•  Giving breathing space for primary caregivers immediately following a difficult case.
•  Increasing the visibility of ethics consultation.
•  Dedicating time to a pet (e.g. walking the dog).
•  Exercising.
•  Expressing grief while in the workplace but dealing with anger and frustration at home.
•  Following up on a case at a later date to regain perspective.
•  Recognizing that some stories cannot be resolved.