Nursing Moral Distress and Intent to Leave Employment During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Complexity in nursing practice creates an intense and stressful environment that may lead to moral distress (MD) and registered nurses (RNs) seeking other employment.

Local Problem: In 2020, the RN turnover rate was 8%, with postpandemic turnover projected to reach 13%.

Methods: The Measure of Moral Distress for Health Care Professionals (MMD-HP) was used to measure the frequency and level of RNs' MD.