Nurse Moral Distress: a proposed theory and research agenda
Abstract
As professionals, nurses are engaged in a moral endeavour, and thus confront many challenges in making the right decision and taking the right action. When nurses cannot do what they think is right, they experience moral distress that leaves a moral residue. This article proposes a theory of moral distress and a research agenda to develop a better understanding of moral distress, how to prevent it, and, when it cannot be prevented, how to manage it.
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The sense of powerlessness reported by nurses fits the classic definition of moral distress, where one knows the morally correct course of action but cannot carry it out due to situational and/or other internal and external constraints.
“This sense of powerlessness “fits” the classic definition of moral distress, where one knows the morally correct course of action but cannot carry it out due to situational and/or other internal and external constraints (Corley 2002; Corley et al. 2005).”
From Everyday ethics: ethical issues and stress in nursing practice (2010) · cites this paper as Corley 2002
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Everyday ethics: ethical issues and stress in nursing practice
Ulrich, C. M., Taylor, C., Soeken, K., O’Donnell, P., Farrar, A., Danis, M., & Grady, C. (2010) · Journal of Advanced Nursing · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05425.x · Cited by 305 · see citing works
“This sense of powerlessness “fits” the classic definition of moral distress, where one knows the morally correct course of action but cannot carry it out due to situational and/or other internal and external constraints (Corley 2002; Corley et al. 2005).”
BackgroundRelationship between ICU nurses’ moral distress with burnout and anticipated turnover
Shoorideh, F. A., Ashktorab, T., Yaghmaei, F., & Alavi Majd, H. (2015) · Nursing Ethics · doi:10.1177/0969733014534874 · Cited by 212 · see citing works
A mixed‐method systematic review: support for ethical competence of nurses
Poikkeus, T., Numminen, O., Suhonen, R., & Leino‐Kilpi, H. (2014) · Journal of Advanced Nursing · doi:10.1111/jan.12213 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Moral distress and burnout in internal medicine residents
Sajjadi, S., Norena, M., Wong, H., & Dodek, P. (2017) · Canadian Medical Education Journal · doi:10.36834/cmej.36639 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
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Organisational and individual support for nurses’ ethical competence: A cross-sectional survey
Poikkeus, T., Suhonen, R., Katajisto, J., & Leino-Kilpi, H. (2018) · Nursing Ethics · doi:10.1177/0969733016642627 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Bradshaw, A., Dunleavy, L., Garner, I., Preston, N., Bajwah, S., Cripps, R., Fraser, L. K., Maddocks, M., Hocaoglu, M., Murtagh, F. E., et al. (2022) · Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine · doi:10.1177/01410768221077366 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Bayat, M., Shahriari, M., & Keshvari, M. (2019) · Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine · doi:10.18502/jmehm.v12i8.1339 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
- Authors
- Corley, M. C.
- Affiliations
- Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Corley, Mary C
- Venue
- Nursing Ethics
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2002-11
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 636-650
- ISSN
- 0969-7330 (ISSN-L)
- 1477-0989
- OpenAlex
- W2104670190
- Cited by
- 735
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 52 · 2021: 50 · 2020: 49 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 42 · 2017: 56 · 2016: 55 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 39 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 35
- FWCI
- 4.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nursing Ethics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DigitalGeorgetown (Georgetown University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Ethics in medical practice
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Ethics in Business and Education
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics and bioethics in healthcare
- Keywords
- moral distress, nurses, moral residue, ethical decision-making, moral theory, research agenda
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Attitude of Health Personnel, Burnout, Professional, Conflict, Psychological, Emotions, Ethics, Nursing, Humans, Models, Psychological, Morals, Nurses, Nursing Theory, Psychological Theory, Nursing Methodology Research, Models, Nursing
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