NURSE MORAL DISTRESS

A PROPOSED THEORY AND RESEARCH AGENDA

Corley, Mary C

Address for correspondence: Mary C Corley, Associate Professor Emeritus, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1 North 29th Street, Richmond, VA 23223, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

Nursing Ethics 9(6):p 636-650, November 2002.

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.