Navigating crisis: a qualitative exploration of medical social workers’ responses to ethical issues during COVID-19

The ethical situations and actions that MedSWs discussed in this qualitative study align closely with the experiences of other healthcare workers during the pandemic. Despite uncertain situations, MedSWs relied on their innate understanding of social work principles to guide ad hoc decision-making. Results from this analysis indicate the need for more robust administrative and institutional support structures that would allow MedSWs to practice self-care, maintain their scope of practice boundaries, and access additional emergency preparedness training.