Exploring the Psychological Impact of Working in Adult, Paediatric, and Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Including Experiences During Pregnancy

McHugh, Katie (2026) Exploring the Psychological Impact of Working in Adult, Paediatric, and Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Including Experiences During Pregnancy. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) working in intensive care units (ICUs) are routinely exposed to life-threatening illness, ethical complexity, and death (Curtis & Vincent, 2010; Evrin et al., 2018), placing them at risk of trauma-related psychological distress. This thesis portfolio aimed to deepen understanding of occupational trauma among ICU staff, with particular attention to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and the experience of pregnancy within this high-intensity environment. A systematic review and meta-analysis synthesised the prevalence of secondary traumatic stress (STS) and post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms among ICU staff working across adult, paediatric, and neonatal intensive care settings. Pooled estimates indicated that approximately one in six staff experienced STS symptoms and one in four experienced PTS symptoms. Elevated PTS prevalence was observed both during and outside of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that trauma-related distress reflects enduring occupational stressors rather than crisis-specific effects alone. Building on these findings, a qualitative empirical study explored the experiences of 12 UK HCPs who worked on NICU while pregnant. Reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) (Braun & Clarke, 2022) developed an overarching meta-theme, “Navigating a dual role: managing personal pregnancy and professional responsibility in the NICU”. HCPs described heightened empathy alongside anticipatory anxiety, hypervigilance, and working within a culture of coping and endurance. Professional knowledge was experienced as both protective and anxiety-provoking during pregnancy. Together, these studies highlight trauma-related distress as an occupational risk within ICU settings and identify pregnancy as a period of increased vulnerability within an already emotionally demanding context. Clinical implications emphasise trauma-informed, system-level approaches to staff wellbeing, particularly during significant life transitions.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	10 Nov 2026 08:45
Last Modified:	10 Nov 2026 08:45
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/105029
DOI:

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