Citation

Jamieson N, Usher K, Maple M, Ratnarajah D. Int. J. Ment. Health Nurs. 2020; 29(2): 105-109.

Affiliation

School of Health, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc., Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/inm.12704

PMID

32162834

Abstract

Mental ill health can affect anyone at any time, but some groups are more vulnerable than others. Defence Force veterans are one such group. Veterans are defined here as those who have or are currently serving in the military. Veterans are often faced with experiences that can leave them feeling isolated and stigmatized, including events that are acts of war as well as the unique experiences of military service. These acts of war and service experiences can deeply transgress veterans’ moral codes which can result in what has been termed moral injury (MI) (Litz et al. 2009). MI can leave veterans in a precarious predicament of needing support but not wanting or feeling able to engage in traditional mental healthcare models.

Moral codes are shaped and evolve throughout our lives and provide the schema or the compass from which we make decisions and actions. When our moral compass is violated, a MI can occur. MI is the bio‐psycho‐social‐spiritual distress that occurs following a violation and/or betrayal of one's moral compass. MI has been shown to heighten poor mental health outcomes and increase the risk of suicidality in veterans postservice ...

MI is also experienced by those outside of the military, extending to any individuals who experience the emotional effects of actions (either their own or from others) that violate or disorient their moral compass (Molendijk 2018). For example, health professionals are often tasked with life and death decisions which can compromise their moral code (Ford 2019). Similarly, victims and/or perpetrators of sexual abuse may experience MI due to the nature of the abuse, as can those working in the child safety system where exposure to child abuse and limitations of protection can conflict with an individual's moral compass. Increasing suicide rates and burnout among healthcare and social care professionals have led to increased interest in how these event exposures and moral conflict intersect through a lens of MI (Ford 2019) ...

Language: en