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The concept of moral injury has been around for several decades, yet its effect on nurses remains under-recognised. Moral injury is defined as the biopsychosocial harm that arises from a violation of one's moral code, meaning that a person is powerless to uphold and enact what they believe is morally right. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought the issue of moral injury into focus because many nurses and other healthcare professionals have encountered potentially morally injurious events, resulting in increased pressure and emotional demands. It is essential that nurse leaders recognise moral injury if its effects are to be addressed. This article describes moral injury and its effects on nurses, and offers nurse leaders a practical framework for mitigating this issue. The framework aims to support nurse leaders to increase their understanding of moral injury, address any ethical challenges, ensure they are adequately prepared to provide support to nurses, and enhance their awareness of various interventions that can mitigate moral injury.
Johnstone et al. (2022) studied this question.