From ‘Changing the World’ to ‘Despair and Hopelessness’

Health workers go into this field with a mission to help.  But the many drivers of burnout and moral injury can result in emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, anger, frustration, shame, guilt, and a sense of futility.  Untreated burnout and moral injury threaten the health of workers, patients, and the relationship between the two – the very thing health practitioners work so hard to foster.

Dr. Simon Talbot, a Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon, and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, explains how burnout and moral injury affect workers and those they serve. Lisa Ladendorff, LSW, Director of Training and Consulting Programs at the Northeast Oregon Network, breaks down how combating worker distress needs buy-in from all levels of the workforce.  And Dr. Frankie Fachilla, Director of Clinical Education at Cornerstone in Tennessee, talks about how none of the changes needed to address these stressors happen in a vacuum.

The Workplace Change Collaborative is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

To learn more about moral injury, burnout, and what to do about both, access our interactive framework and additional resources at wpchange.org.