What is moral distress?
Moral distress occurs when individuals feel unable to act according to their ethical values or principles due to external constraints or systemic barriers. It is often experienced by those in service-oriented professions, such as educators, social workers, healthcare providers, and aid workers, who face situations where the "right" course of action is clear but impossible to pursue. This disconnect between one's moral compass and the limitations imposed by institutional or systemic structures can lead to feelings of frustration, guilt, and a profound sense of powerlessness.
From a relational perspective, moral distress is not just an individual struggle; it reflects the impact of broader systems that prioritize efficiency, profit, or authority over ethics, care, and justice. For instance, healthcare professionals may experience moral distress when they are forced to make decisions based on budgetary constraints rather than patient well-being. Similarly, teachers and aid workers may feel it when systemic policies undermine their ability to support marginalized communities effectively. In these contexts, moral distress arises from a tension between personal integrity and the systemic values that conflict with it.
Understanding moral distress through a relational and decolonial lens highlights its systemic roots and emphasizes the need for collective action to address it. Healing from moral distress involves more than personal coping strategies—it requires challenging and transforming the systems and structures that create ethical dilemmas. It also involves fostering spaces where individuals can share their experiences, validate their moral struggles, and work together to create environments that align with values of equity, care, and justice. This approach re-frames moral distress as a call to re-imagine systems that honour both individual and collective ethics.
Invitation
What if moral distress wasn’t simply a burden to carry but a signal for systemic transformation? How might your work and well-being change if you had spaces to share, reflect, and challenge the structures that create these ethical dilemmas? I invite you to view moral distress as an opportunity to advocate for systems that prioritize care, justice, and relational accountability. Together, we can foster environments where ethics and values are not only respected but integrated into the foundation of how we work and serve.