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Associate professor hosts podcast episode on moral distress for health care workers

Debra Dobbs

Dobbs has research interests in palliative, hospice and end-of-life care, and palliative care education in assisted living.

Debra Dobbs, PhD, associate professor in the School of Aging Studies and academic director of the Center for Hospice, Palliative Care, and End-of-Life Studies, hosted a podcast episode titled "'What Keeps Me Awake at Night': Moral Distress in Long-Term Care Employees" for the Social Research Policy and Practice Section of the Gerontological Society of America. It is the second episode in the series on workforce issues in long-term care.

In the episode, Dobbs leads a discussion on direct care staff issues of moral distress during COVID in assisted living and nursing homes. She is joined by guests Ozcan Tunalilar, PhD, assistant professor in the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University and Elizabeth Galik, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor and chair of the Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

Tunalilar’s research examines the role of organizational, contextual, and socioeconomic factors that contribute to the reproduction of inequalities in access to high-quality long-term care and in residents’ experiences in the long-term care system. Galik’s research has focused on care for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, functional and cognitive assessment, and enhancement of the geriatric workforce. 

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The Mission of the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences (CBCS) is to advance knowledge through interdisciplinary teaching, research, and service that improves the capacity of individuals, families, and diverse communities to promote productive, satisfying, healthy, and safe lives across the lifespan. CBCS envisions the college as a globally recognized leader that creates innovative solutions to complex conditions that affect the behavior and well-being of individuals, families, and diverse communities.