Moral Residue Accumulates Through Distress

Experiences of moral distress often leave lasting emotional and psychological impacts, known as moral residue, which can linger throughout a professional career. Individuals frequently recall specific instances of moral distress vividly, identifying the associated feelings of frustration, guilt, and distress. This residue accumulates over time, leading to a phenomenon termed the crescendo effect, characterized by a gradual rise and fall of moral distress as situations unfold and resolve. Each morally distressing experience adds a new 'scar' to an individual's psyche, preventing a full return to emotional baseline after resolution, thus perpetuating a cycle of distress. The continuous accumulation of these experiences ultimately can lead to moral injury, significantly affecting self-perception and professionalism. Moral distress is defined as the knowledge of the right course of action combined with the inability to act accordingly, and recurring challenges exacerbate this complex emotional landscape.