# Moral Distress
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**Moral distress** is a type of distress that is seen in [[nursing]] and other ethical profession when there is a dissonance between what someone thinks is the right, or [[ethics|moral]] thing to do and what they are actually doing, typically brought about by some sort of constraint, like the [[COVID-19]] pandemic, or staffing shortages.
## Signs & Symptoms
Being in moral distress can present as both emotional and physical manifestations.
- Emotional s/s parallel [[anxiety]]
- short temper
- sadness
- crying for no reason
- physical s/s parallel what we see for [[chronic stress]]
- upset stomach
- headaches
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