The nurse manager asks Martha, a staff nurse, if she will work an additional 4 hours at the end of her shift. Martha's patient is unstable, and there is insufficient staff on the next shift to care for her adequately. If she works overtime, Martha will break a promise she made to take her children to the circus. This situation is an example of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Moral distress occurs when a nurse knows the right thing to do, but is unable to do it due to external constraints. In this case, Martha knows that she should stay and care for her patient, but she is unable to do so because she has a prior commitment to her children.

The Nurse Manager Asks Martha, a Staff Nurse, If She