Reframing Competence and Moral Clarity in Nursing Practice

ABSTRACT This article challenges the tendency to frame diminished confidence and ethical uncertainty among nurses as individual shortcomings. While the need for up‐to‐date knowledge and moral clarity is undeniable, this piece argues that systemic factors—such as inadequate institutional support, unsafe staffing, and lack of access to continuing education—play a significant role in undermining nurses' ability to act ethically and confidently. Drawing from global case examples, including the Ebola crisis and the COVID‐19 pandemic, this article highlights how moral distress often stems not from ignorance or weakness, but from structural barriers and ethical overload.