Moral Distress and Moral Residue

Moral Distress generally refers to distress specifically resulting from moral or ethical dilemmas, or from compromising one's moral integrity. It's defined nicely in the following abstract links:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=14723903&dopt=Citation

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=12956166&dopt=Citation

Moral distress is widely discussed in the nursing literature, in articles like these:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=8220368&dopt=Citation

A google search using the term "moral distress" will yield dozens of useful articles and materials on this subject.

Moral Residue generally refers to the residual or "remnant" stress resulting from unresolved moral issues. The realization that there are few moral dilemmas with only one solution or "ethical pathway" can also result in moral residue as we contemplate the moral road not taken.

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