Moral injury and mental health needs in long-term care staff after the pandemic

Introduction: The extant research highlights the negative mental health experiences among healthcare workers during COVID-19. Recent attention has been paid to moral injury in healthcare, referring to psychological distress caused by actions that violate one’s moral or ethical beliefs. A limited amount of the literature has explored the landscape of the long-term care (LTC) sector during and following the peak of the pandemic. The objective of the present study was to explore the lasting impacts of moral injury, work stressors, and mental health needs of LTC staff following the COVID-19 pandemic through a current lens. Materials and methods: Our team employed a background and work-related questionnaire as well as semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews with LTC staff ( N = 12). Data were collected between January 2024 and January 2025. Our research team utilized a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) to develop themes and subthemes shared across responses. Results: Participants identified how the pandemic has had long-term impacts on the LTC sector. We categorized data into four main themes, including (1) lasting impacts: the precedent set by COVID-19, (2) the moral toll of working in LTC, (3) a need for accessible resources, and (4) my path forward. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a strained LTC system that has had lasting impacts on care providers that are still relevant years after the peak of the pandemic. Future interventions should focus on addressing system-level issues, including demands on staff, in tandem with the provision of effective emotional supports targeting the unique needs and experiences of LTC staff.