When Doing the Right Thing Feels Impossible: Moral Distress in Healthcare

How common is moral distress in healthcare?
Much more than we talk about.

Last year, our teenage daughter had a sudden medical episode at home. One moment she was fine, and the next, she could barely stay conscious.

“Call 911,” I said to her brother, who also works in healthcare.

“Already on it,” he replied without hesitation.

I helped her lie down as he calmly gave the dispatcher our address and explained her condition. She drifted in and out, her ability to speak waxing and waning.

Then, before the amazing paramedics from Northeast Allen County Fire and EMS arrived, she managed to whisper a question that stopped me cold:

“Do I really need an ambulance?
Won’t that be expensive?”

When the Cost of Care Shapes Decisions

A kid.
So sick she was passing out.
And she was worried about the bill.

The worst part?
She wasn’t wrong.

Ambulance rides, ER visits, diagnostic testing — they all add up. Across the country, sick people everywhere are hesitating to seek necessary medical help because of the financial strain.

This isn’t just about affordability for patients.
It affects healthcare workers, too.

The Ripple Effect on Healthcare Workers

Imagine being a nurse, paramedic, or physician and watching a patient refuse care not because it isn’t needed, but because they’re afraid of the cost.

That tension—knowing what’s medically right but being constrained by finances, policies, or systemic issues—is called moral distress. And it’s everywhere.

For patients, moral distress sounds like:

“I can’t afford the care I need.”

For healthcare professionals, it often sounds like:

“I know what’s right for this patient…
but I can’t do it.”

The emotional weight of those moments can be devastating for everyone involved.

No Easy Answers, But We Can Talk About It

Thankfully, our daughter is okay.
But I haven’t stopped thinking about that moment.

We need more honest conversations about:

• The cost of necessary care

• How financial fears impact decision-making

• The emotional toll on healthcare workers

There’s no quick fix. But the first step is acknowledging the problem — for patients, for providers, and for the systems we work in.

Because ignoring moral distress doesn’t make it go away. Talking about it does.