Moral distress is commonly encountered by health care workers, specifically nurses, who are at high risk of emotional conflict. Moral distress has been associated with increased stress, workplace fatigue, job burnout, and lack of interest, leading to nurses leaving the workplace or even their profession. This study aims to explore the moral distress experience of nurses both before and during the Do-not-resuscitate protocol at Quezon Medical Center in Lucena City. The data collection procedure was conducted through a semi-structured individual interview with a total of six (6) participants who were willing to share their experiences anc viewpoints. The narratives of the study were analyzed through the utilization of Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis. The results revealed three (4) major themes: (1) The hand that saves, the heart that breaks: the struggles of nurses prior, during, and after executing a Do-not-resuscitatc, (2) Bound by duty, law, and devotion: the role of nurses in DNR. (3) Saving lives through goodbyes: Letting go of patients. (4) 3H: How healers heal: The coping strategies of nurses. Findings showed that the emotiona state of a nurse is under determines how they cope differently against the struggles and difficulties they are facing before, during, and after. While the study provides profound insights into nurses' lived experiences, interpretations were based on self-narrative reports. Additionally, the results provide in- depth insights but restrict generalization or measurement, emphasizing the necessary for future research using broader or mixed-method approaches.