Background: Moral distress poses a significant challenge for ICU nurses who are responsible for the care of critically ill patients. Such nurses often confront a range of ethical dilemmas and face complex clinical situations, including futile or aggressive end-of-life interventions, which increase their susceptibility to experiencing moral distress. Objective: The study aimed to examine the severity of moral distress among ICU nurses in the United Arab Emirates and explore its relationship with the intention to leave their position. Methods: The study utilized a quantitative, descriptive, and correlational research design. A convenience non-probability sample of 341 critical care nurses from various private and government hospitals across different emirates in the UAE participated in the study. Out of the total surveyed nurses, 242 completed the Moral Distress-Revised Questionnaire. Results: The study found that a large majority (71.9%) of ICU nurses experience severe moral distress, and more than 40% of them have considered leaving their position. The primary contributing factors were related to futile interventions during the end of life care. nurses experiencing severe distress had 3.73 times the odds of quitting their job compared to those experiencing mild distress Conclusion: The study emphasizes the need to establish a culture that encourages collaboration in decision-making processes related to patient care and fosters nurse autonomy in various healthcare settings.